-"•HI 


ADMIRAL  DE\;  EY  ANDJ.I.STICKNEV 

ON  BPJr>'il:  Oi  1-lAGfHIP 
"OLYMP1A"  DURING  BATTLE.- • 


AN  D  TH  E 


r  •IIKILIY  \ 
LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  Of    I 


The  CELLAR  BOOK  SHOP 
18090  Wyoming 


Copyrighted   by  George  Spiel,  1899. 

ADMIRAL  GEORGE  DEWEY 


Capt.  Simeon  Dewey,  (Grandfather). 


George  Dewey  at  Age  of  30. 
George  Goodwin  Dewey,  (Son). 

FOUR  GENERATIONS 


Dr.  Julius  Yemans  Dewey,  (Father) 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY  AT  MANILA 


AND     THK 


COMPLETE  STORY  OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 


LIFE  AND  GLORIOUS  DEEDS 


ADMIRAL  GEORGE  DEWEY 


A   THRILLING    ACCOUNT    OF    OUR    CONFLICT    WITH    THE 
SPANIARDS    AND   FILIPINOS    IN    THE    ORIENT 


JOSEPH   L.   STICKNEY 


ADMIRAL   PKWEY'S  AIDK 


FULLY    ILLUSTRATED    WITH    PHOTOGRAPHS 

MANY    OF    WHICH    WKRE    TAKEN     UV     THK     AUTHOR    DURING     THE    BATTLE,      FROM     THE 
.    BRIDGE    OF    THE    FLAGSHIP     '"'OLYMPTA"    IN    MANILA    BAY 


SOLD  ONLY  BY  SUBSCRIPTION 


J.   II.   MOORE   COMPANY, 
PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


LOAN  STACK 


COPYRIGHTED  i;v 

JOSEPH   L.   STICKNKY 

1890. 


c  /// 
,  7 
Sg 

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DEDICATED  To  THE 

NAVY  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


BY 


7 


252 


PREFACE. 


In  the  first  week  of  May,  1898,  while  the  people  of  the  United  States 
were  eagerly  watching  events  in  Cuba,  while  the  attention  of  all  was 
turned  toward  the  island  that  promised  to  be  the  focal  point  in  the 
pending  Spanish- Americaii  war,  this  message  flashed  across  the  sea 
from  the  distant  islands  of  the  Western  Pacific: 

"Not  one  Spanish  flag  flies  in  Manila  Bay  to-day.  Not  one  Spanish 
warship  floats,  except  as  our  prize." 

The  brilliant  victory  that  Admiral  Dewey  won  over  the  Spanish 
fleet  in  the  Philippines  aroused  the  United  States  to  the  highest  pitch 
of  enthusiasm.  For  the  moment  Cuba  was  forgotten,  and  all  public 
interest  was  directed  toward  this  distant  fighting  center.  Patriotism 
ran  high.  The  "stars  and  stripes"  and  Admiral  Dewey's  picture  were 
everywhere  displayed.  Praise  of  the  man  was  heard  on  all  sides.  No 
such  deed  of  valor  and  skilled  maneuvering  had  been  known  since  the 
days  of  Farragut,  and  for  a  time  it  was  thought  that  the  battle  of 
Manila  Bay  would  end  the  Avar. 

To-day  the  war  is  ended.  Messages  telling  of  brilliant  and  surpris 
ing  victories  are  no  longer  sent  from  south  and  east;  bulletins  are  no 
longer  posted  in  the  streets ;  but,  while  the  American  nation  is  bravely 
assuming  the  "WTiite  Man's  Burden,"  the  result  of  its  great  conquest, 
it  becomes  the  part  of  History  to  commemorate  the  events  of  :he  war,  of 
which  the  first  and  most  decisive  took  place  on  that  pleasant  May  morn 
ing  when  the  people  of  Manila  and  Cavite  awoke  to  find  the  American 
squadron  at  their  doors. 

It  has  seemed  to  me  desirable,  in  this  recital  of  the  heroic  deeds  of  a 


10  PREFACE. 

man  like  Dewey,  to  begin  with  a  narration  of  that  one  of  the  Incidents 
in  his  career  that  will  be  longest  remembered,  one  that  will  be  insep 
arably  linked  with  not  only  the  story  of  his  life  but  with  the  history  of 
his  country.  I  make  no  apology,  therefore,  for  allowing  the  early  events 
in  Admiral  Dewey's  life  to  be  placed  after  the  great  victory  that  has 
made  him  famous  throughout  the  world. 

I  have  heard  it  called  strange  that  no  one  who  knew  Dewey  prior  to 
the  battle  of  Manila  Bay  had  any  presentiment  that  he  would  develop 
into  one  of  the  extraordinary  naval  commanders  of  modern  times. 
There  is  a  trite  but,  nevertheless,  probably  true  saying  that  "the  world 
knows  nothing  of  its  greatest  men."  Admiral  Dewey  is  not  an  accident ; 
he  is  the  natural  product  of  his  own  strong  individuality  and  the  system 
by  which  the  officers  of  the  navy  of  the  United  States  are  trained.  He 
has  passed  through  a  school  in  which  the  necessity  to  act  upon  the  in 
spiration  of  an  instant  is  combined  with  the  knowledge  of  how  to  wait 
with  infinite  patience  i  ?  the  arrival  of  the  right  time  to  act. 

It  is  altogether  probable  that,  if  there  had  been  no  war  with  Spain, 
Admiral  Dewey  would  have  reached  the  retiring  age  next  December 
without  having  done  anything  that  would  have  made  his  countrymen 
remember  him  with  greater  interest  or  gratitude  than  they  would 
have  felt  for  any  one  of  a  dozen  other  navy  officers  of  his  time.  But  all 
his  life  had  been  a  preparation  for  just  the  opportunity  that  came  to 
him.  When  other  officers  of  his  grade  were  suggested  for  the  command 
of  the  Asiatic  station  in  the  latter  part  of  1897,  no  one  cared  to  have 
it.  It  was  offered  to  Dewey  and  he  accepted  it — not  because  he  fore 
saw  an  opportunity  to  win  fame,  but  because  he  believed  an  officer 
should  always  be  ready  for  any  duty  that  might  be  required  of  him. 

When  at  last  the  time  for  action  drew  near,  he  prepared  for  it  in 
such  a  thorough  manner  that  nothing  was  left  to  chance.  Having  com 
pleted  every  preparation  that  forethought,  skill  and  experience  could 
suggest,  Dewey's  one  object  was  to  get  within  reach  of  the  enemy  at  tho 
earliest  possible  moment.  There  was  where  the  spirit  of  the  natural 
sea-fighter  came  out  and  compelled  success.  It  is  true  that  his  squadron 


AGUINAL.DO,  the  Insurgent  Leader  of  the  Filipinos. 

To  his  people  he  ranks  as  a  Bolivar,  a  Toussaini  IVOuverture  or  a  Washington.  History 
must  decide  where  he  is  to  be  placed.  This  work  includes  a  sketch  of  his  life  and  per 
sonality,  with  an  estimate  ol  his  character. 


PREFACE. 


13 


was  much  stronger  than  that  of  the  Spaniards;  but  the  difference  in 
their  merely  material  force  cut  no  figure  in  the  result.  It  is  no  exag 
geration  to  say  that  if  Montojo  had  had  Dewey's  fleet  and  if  Dewey  had 
had  Montojo's,  it  would  still  have  been  the  colors  of  the  United  States 
that  would  hay  been  the  only  ensign  afloat  in  Manila  Bay  at  the  close 
of  the  action. 

It  is  because  Admiral  Dewey  is  a  type  of  the  American  who  compels 
and  deserves  the  admiration  of  not  only  his  own  countrymen  but  of  the 
people  of  every  nation  who  hold  dear  courage  and  capacity,  delicacy  and 
strength,  that  his  name  will  go  down  to  posterity  as  one  of  the  noblest 
of  this  century- 


Chicago,  April,  1899. 


Made  by  Tiffany  &  Co.,  New  York. 


THE  GIFT  OF  A  NATION. 


The  above  picture  is  a  photograph  of  the  sword  and   belt  ordered  by  Congress  to  be  given  Admiral 
Dewey  as  a  token   of   the   nation's   gratitude.    It  is   richly   embellished  with    precious    stones. 


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GENERAL  THOMAS  ANDERSON 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   1. 

FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA. 

Page. 

Commodore  Dewey  iii  Command  of  the  Asiatic  Squadron — How  the 
Story  of  the  "Maine"  Disaster  Was  Obtained — Putting  the  Fleet 
in  Readiness  for  Battle — A  Race  from  Tokio  to  Join  Dewey — 
Leaving  Hong  Kong  in  Deference  to  Neutrality  Laws — A  Rendez 
vous  in  Mirs  Bay — The  Voyage  to  Manila — Night  Drills  and 
Emergency  Calls — The  Final  War  Council — Nearing  the  Day  of 
Battle— In  Manila  Bay 2* 

CHAPTER  II. 
THE   BATTLE  OF   MANILA   BAY. 

First  Glimpse  of  the  Enemy's  Fleet  at  Cavite — Dewey  Reserves  His 
Fire — "You  May  Fire  When  You  Are  Ready,  Captain  Gridley"— 
The  Story  of  the  Conflict— That  Withdrawal  for  Breakfast- 
Resuming  the  Attack — Dewey's  Official  Report  to  the  Navy  De 
partment — Dewey  Fulfills  His  Instructions — How  Captain  Grid- 
ley  Told  the  Tale — A  Spanish  Account  of  Our  Victory 58 

CHAPTER  IH. 
AFTER  THE  BATTLE. 

Receiving  the  Surrender  of  Cavite  Arsenal — Quibbles  and  Evasions  to 
Meet — A  Case  for  Haste — Journey  to  Hong  Kong  to  Send  Dis 
patches — Capture  of  the  Callao — Routine  of  Blockade  Duty  in 
Manila  Bay — Arrival  of  Aguinaldo  from  Hong  Kong — Estab 
lishing  a  Government  at  Oavite — Three  Important  Proclamations 
—Filipino  Victories  over  the  Spanish — Their  Treatment  of  Span 
ish  Prisoners — Insurgents  Invest  Manila 66 

15 


16  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 
PREPARING   TO  TAKE   MANILA. 

The  American  People  Rise  to  an  Emergency — General  Merritt  Chosen 
to  Command  an  Expedition  to  the  Philippines — Gathering  an 
Army  at  San  Francisco — Complications  with  the  Germans  in 
Manila  Bay — Another  Spanish  Gunboat  Captured — Prisoners 
Become  a  Nuisance — Arrival  of  Transports  and  Troops — First 
Battle  Ashore — Ready  to  Take  Manila S«> 

CHAPTER   V. 
MERRITT  AND   DEWEY  CAPTURE   MANILA. 

Approach  of  the  Time  when  Waiting  Was  to  End — Efforts  to  Obtain  a 
Surrender  Without  an  Engagement  Fail — Story  of  the  Battle  of 
August  13 — Dramatic  and  Picturesque  Features  of  the  Assault 
on  the  Fortifications — Taking  Possession  of  the  City — The  Part 
Played  by  the  Navy — Captured  Spanish  Gunboats  Distinguish 
Themselves — Organizing  the  New  Regime  in  Manila — Waiting 
for  the  Declaration  of  Peace 10o 

CHAPTER   VI. 
ANCESTRY    AND  CHILDHOOD  OF   GEORGE    DEWEY. 

The  Child  is  the  Father  of  the  Man" — Origin  of  the  Dewey  Family — 
Nine  Generations  Born  in  America — The  Grandfather  of  the 
Admiral — Dewey's  Father  and  His  Traits — Stories  of  the  Home 
Life  and  the  Youth  of  the  Coming  Hero — Boyish  Pranks  and 
Their  Punishment — A  Voyage  in  a  Buggy — School  Life  and 
Schoolmates — Appointment  to  the  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis. .  .121 

CHAPTER   VII. 
GEORGE   DEWEY   LN   THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Four  Years  in  the  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis — Incidents  of  Cadet 
Life — A  Cruise  on  the  European  Station — Rapid  Promotion  for 
the  Young  Officer — Outbreak  of  the  Rebellion — Executive  Officer 


TABLE  OF  CONTEXTS.  17 

of  the  "Mississippi" — Bravery  of  Dewey  When  His  Vessel  Was 
Destroyed — Mentioned  in  Official  Reports — Service  With  Far-     - 
ragut— At  the  Taking  of  Fort  Fisher — What  Admiral  Porter 
Thought— The  End  of  the  War 138 


CHAPTER 
DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR. 

When  the  Civil  War  Ended — On  the  European  Station — Incidents  of 
the  Cruise — Marriage  and  Bereavement  of  Dewey — Service  in 
Asiatic  Waters — Successive  Promotions — Shore  Duty  in  Wash 
ington — Ordered  to  Command  the  Asiatic  Squadron — The 
Thanks  of  the  Nation — Presents  and  Honors — Dewey  an  Admiral  . .  151 

CHAPTER  IX. 
THE    PHILIPPINE    ISLANDS    LN    HISTORY. 

The  Orient  Always  an  Object  of  Interest  and  Desire — Writers  of 
Authority  on  the  Philippines — Magellan's  Famous  Voyage  under 
the  Flag  of  Spain — The  Ladrones  Discovered — Arrival  at  Min 
danao — Relations  with  the  Natives — Legaspi  Sails  from  Mexico 
for  the  Philippines — The  Subjugation  of  the  Islands — Revolt  and 
Insurrection — The  British  Invasion 167 

CHAPTER  X. 
ISLAND    GEOGRAPHY,   CONDITIONS   AND    RESOURCES. 

The  Native  Tribes  of  the  Philippines — Islands  Comprising  the  Group — 
Climatic  Conditions — Safeguards  Against  Disease — Earthquakes 
and  Volcanoes — Animal  and  Vegetable  Life — Land  and  Water 
Reptiles — Beasts  and  Birds  in  Countless  Numbers — Extensive 
Pearl  Fisheries — Mineral  Wealth  of  the  Islands — Chinese  Inter 
ests  in  the  Mines — Valuable  Discoveries  and  Future  Develop 
ment  .  . .  IST 


IS  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XL 
MANILA   AND   LUZON   UNDER   THE   SPANISH   REGIME. 

The  Walls  of  the  Ancient  City  —  Picturesque  Parks  and  Public  Grounds 

—  The  Chinese  and  Their  Work  —  Tragic  Memories  of  the  Lunetta 

—  Beauties  of  the  Night  —  Amusements  of  the  Natives  —  Italian 
Opera  and  American  Circus  —  Spanish  Bull  Fights  and  English 
Horse  Races  —  The  Hotels  of  the  City  —  Native  Shops  and  Their 
Keepers  —  The  Town  of  Cavite  —  Steamship  Service  of  the  Island  .  .  202 


THE    CENTRAL    ISLANDS    OF    THE    ARCHIPELAGO. 

The  Visayan  Archipelago—  On  an  Island  Steamer  —  A  Typical  Spanish 
Town  —  A  Fort  Without  a  Gun  —  Yellow  Journalism  in  the  Phil 
ippines  —  Beautiful  Women  Who  Smoke  —  Cebu  and  Its  Commer 
cial  Importance  —  The  Island  of  Panay  —  The  Sulu  Sea  and  Its 
Boundaries  —  Primitive  Modes  of  Life  in  Palawan  —  Among  the 
Savage  Tribes  ..............................................  2  J  4 

CHAPTER   XKL 
SULU  AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS. 

Origin  of  the  Sulu  Mohammedans  —  A  War  for  Supremacy  —  Fighting 
the  Pirates  —  Insurrections  in  the  Islands  —  An  Efficient  Governor 

—  Where  the  Slave  Trade  Flourishes  —  How  to  Govern  the  Sulus 

—  An    Island    Comparatively    Unknown  —  Construction    of    the 
Native  Houses  —  Peculiar  Systems  of  Local  Government  —  Hos 
pitality  of  the  Filipinos  ......................................  2foJ 


CHAPTER   XIV. 
THE  FILIPINOS  AND   THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS. 

Savage  Tribes  in  the  Islands  —  The  Original  Inhabitants  —  The  Com 
mencement  of  the  Insurrections  —  Native  Weapons  and  How  They 
are  Used  —  Picturesque  Dress  of  Men  and  Women  —  Religious 
Ceremonies  —  Beliefs  of  the  Morros  —  'Some  Civilized  Character 
istics  —  A  Tribe  of  Head  Hunters  —  How  Some  of  the  Natives  Live..  .  247 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS.  19 

CHAPTER    XV. 
COMMERCIAL    AND    NATIVE    INDUSTRIES. 

New  Fields  for  American  Enterprise — Where  Rope  is  Made — Needs  of 
the  Hemp  Growers — An  Opportunity  for  Inventors — Magnitude 
of  the  Sugar  Industry — The  Tobacco  Factories  of  Manila — In 
fluence  of  the  Chinese  in  Industrial  Matters — Window  Panes 
Made  From  Shells — The  Uses  of  the  Bamboo — Rice  the  Prin 
cipal  Article  of  Food — How  to  Reach  the  Islands 260 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
AGUINALDO,   THE   LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS. 

Personality  and  Career  of  the  Most  Notable  Man  in  the  Philippines — 
The  Last  Insurrection  Against  the  Spanish  and  How  It  Termi 
nated — Bribery  and  the  Consequences — Varying  Opinions  of 
Aguinaldo — A  WTord  About  the  American  Consuls — Relations 
with  Army  and  Navy — General  Merritt  and  the  Filipino  Admin 
istration  273 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
FRICTION   BETWEEN   AMERICANS   AND   FILIPINOS. 

Complications  Are  Threatened  from  the  Beginning — The  Germans  and 
the  Insurgents — Affair  of  the  Steamer  Filipinas — Recognizing 
the  Insurgent  Flag — How  Dewey  Dealt  with  Agninaldo — Aguin 
aldo  and  His  Forces  Required  to  Leave  Manila — Picturesque 
March  Through  the  City — Filipino  Congress  in  Session  at 
Malolos 287 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
FILIPINOS  AND  THE   AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 

An  Appeal  from  the  Junta  Patriotica  at  Hong  Kong  to  the  American 
People — Charges  of  Bad  Faith — General  Merritt's  Opinion  of  the 
Filipinos — General  Otis  Tries  to  Secure  the  Release  of  Spanish 


20  TABLE    OF   CONTENTS. 

Prisoners  Held  by  the  Insurgents  —  Our  Expedition  to  Iloilo  — 
President  McKinley's  Instructions  to  the  American  Authorities 
in  Manila—  A  Manifesto  from  Aguinaldo—  The  Filipino  Cabinet 
—  Agoncillo  in  Washington  —  President  McKinley  Appoints  a 
Commission 

CHAPTER    XIX. 
OUB    WAR   WITH    THE    FILIPINOS. 

Commencement  of  Hostilities  Between  Americans  and  Filipinos  —  The 
Advance  of  the  Americans  —  Old  Men  and  Children  in  the 
Trenches  —  Shells  from  Dewey's  Fleet  —  A  Filipino  Proclama 
tion  —  Manila  on  Fire  —  Cessation  of  Hostilities  —  Arrival  of  the 
Philippine  Commission  —  The  Attack  on  Pasig  —  Aguinaldo  in  the 
Trenches  —  Arrival  of  the  Oregon 


CHAPTER  XX. 
CAMPAIGNING  IN  LUZON. 

The  Fighting  Continues  —  Burning  Native  Huts  —  Many  Killed  on  Both 
Sides  —  The  Advance  on  Malolos  —  Lawton  Captures  Santa  Cruz 
—  Our  Men  Wade  Ashore  Under  Fire  —  In  the  Hands  of  the 
Enemy  —  General  Lawton  Evacuates  the  Captured  Towns  — 
General  Otis'  Opinion  —  Revival  of  Confidence  Among  the  Fili 
pinos  .......................................................  34<» 

CHAPTER    XXI. 
THE    PEACE    COMMISSION    MEETS    HOSTILITY. 

Tke  Personnel  of  the  Commission  —  Proclamation  to  the  Filipinos  —  As 
surances  of  Good  Will  —  The  Supremacy  of  the  United  States  to 
Be  Enforced  —  Honest  Civil  Service  Promised  —  Industrial  Pur 
suits  to  Be  Encouraged  —  The  Public  School  System  —  Opinions 
of  Leading  Filipinos  —  No  Cessation  of  Warfare  ...................  -W4 


r**»ems  of  Dtwey  and  the  Philippines 


CHAPTER    XXII. 
CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAR. 

Brave  Americans  Fall  in  Battle  —  The  Death  of  Colonel  Stotzenberg 
—  Calumpit  Taken  —  Brilliant  Work  of  the  Kansas  Regiment  — 
How  Colonel  Funston  Swam  the  River  —  Representatives  of 
Aguinaldo  Ask  a  Truce-  —  General  Otis'  Ultimatum  —  A  Local 
Filipino  Government  Receives  American  Sanction  —  Natives 
Return  to  Their  Homes  .  . 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Frontispiece  No.  1 — Admiral  George  Dewey. 

Frontispiece  No.  2 — Group  of  Dewey,  his  Father,  Grandfather  and  Sou, 

showing  four  generations. 

The  Author,  Joseph  L.  Stickney 11 

Emilio  Aguinaldo 12 

Dewey,  Gridley  and  Lamberton 21 

Reproduction  of  Rare  Map 22 

View  of  Baltimore  in  Action 39 

View  of  Spanish  Ships 39 

View  of  the  American  Fleet 40 

On  Board  The  Olympia 40 

The  Spanish  Cruiser  Isla  de  Luzon 49 

The  Olympia  at  Anchor 49 

Map  of  Manila  and  Surroundings 50 

Map  of  Manila  Continued 51 

The  Baltimore  Going  Into  the  Second  Fight 52 

View  of  a  Corner  of  the  Gavite  Arsenal 52 

Three  Active  Men — Gridley,  Lamberton  and  Rees Gl 

The  Olympia's  Men  Cheering  the  Baltimore  During  the  Battle  of  Manila 

Bay Gl 

Oavite  Arsenal  Gate   G2 

The  Wreck  of  the  Castilla <J2 

After  the  Battle 79 

Boats  of  the  Cruiser  Boston 79 

The  Concord 80 

Damage  to  the  Boston 80 

Forward  Turret  of  The  Olympia 89 

Starboard  Side  of  The  Olympia  Quarterdeck 89 

Headquarters  of  the  Cavite  Arsenal 90 

Where  the  White  Flag  was  Hoisted 90 

Looting  Cavite 91 

Burying  Spanish  Dead  After  the  Battle 91 

Protecting  the  Ammunition 92 

The  Forward  Turret  and  Bridge  of  The  Olympia 92 

The  Raleigh  101 

Military  Mass  in  Dahalican 102 

21 


2ST  LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 

After  Dewey' s  Guns  Fired 119 

Filipino  Intrenchments  110 

A  Spanish  Bombardment 120 

Birthplace  of  Admiral  George  Dewey 129 

Admiral  George  Dewey 's  Wife  (Deceased) 130 

Group — Two  Brothers  and  Sister 131 

Brother's  House  and  University  Building 132 

Dewey  in  a  Runaway 14  • 

Dewey  Saving  Life  of  Sailor 14 

Dewey  Leaving  the  Burning  Mississippi 15 

View  in  Cemetery 16t 

Manila  Wharf  16! 

The  Main  Street  in  Manila 17( 

Gun  Foundry  at  Manila 17] 

Zapote  Bridge   17: 

Destruction  Wrought  by  Bombardment 18 

Very  Deliberate  and  Quite  Characteristic  of  Sp;iin 18 

Near  the  Philippine  Islands,  showing  Spanish  Gunboat  Ley  to 19J 

Perforated  by  Shells '. 200 

Aguinaldo  (taken  when  younger  in  age  and  experience) 20i 

Convent  Used  as  a  Magazine 21'. 

A  Beautiful  Home  and  Park 218 

Entrance  to  Cavite 235 

Aguinaldo's  Camp   23(> 

Captain  Charles  V.  Gridley  (Deceased) 253 

Group  of  Filipino  Officers,  including  General  Aguinaldo 254 

Aguinaldo's  Secretary 271 

A  Company  of  Filipino  Soldiers 272 

A  Defense 289 

Former  Home  of  the  Captain  General  of  the  Philippines 290 

Red  Cross  Hospital  in  the  Philippines 307 

View  of  Cavite 308 

General  E.  S.  Otis 325 

General  Wesley  Merritt   32(> 

General  Arthur  MacArthur    343 

General  William  Lawton  344 

General  Loyd  Wheaton    361 

General  Francis   V.   Greene 362 

General  Charles  King 379 

View  of  Pasig  River  and  Surroundings 380 

Public  Square  and  Church  at  Paco 397 

The  Roads  a  Novelty  to  Americans 398 

A  Pretty  Piece  of  Architecture 415 

Country  Road  in  the  Philippine  Islands 410 


Copyrighted,  1899,  by  Joseph  L.  Stickney. 

DEWEY,  GRIDLEY,   LAMBERTON 

Commodore  Dewey  receiving  reports  from  Captain  Gridley  and  Commander  Lamberton  a  few 
minutes  after  the  fleet  hauled  off  "for  breakfast''  during  the  battle  of  Manila  Bay.  Back  of  the  group 
is  seen  the  chase  of  the  after  5-inch  gun,  which  was  in  the  Commodore's  cabin,  and  above  that  gun  is  a 
6-pounder,  protected  by  hammocks. 


CARTA 
DE  LA  BAIIIADE 


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REPRODUCTION  OF  RARE  MAP 


Taken  from  the  chart-house  of  the  Spanish  cruiser  Isla  de  Luzon  the  morning  after  the  battle,  while  she 
was  still  burning.  It  was  the  chart  used  by  the  navigator  of  that  vessel  during  the  fight,  found  by  Mr.  Stickney, 
just  as  it  had  been  abandoned  when  the  Petrel  drove  the  crew  ashore.  This  is  probably  the  only  chart  used  by 
the  Spaniards  during  the  battle,  saved  from  the  fire  that  destroyed  them,  after  they  were  sunk. 


CHAPTER  L 
FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA. 

Commodore  Dewey  in  Command  of  the  Asiatic  Squadron — How  the  Story 
of  the  "Maine"  Disaster  Was  Obtained — Putting  the  Fleet  in  Readiness 
for  Battle — A  Race  from  Tokio  to  Join  Dewey — Leaving  Hong  Kong 
in  Deference  to  Neutrality  Laws — A  Rendezvous  in  Mirs  Bay — The 
Voyage  to  Manila — Night  Drills  and  Emergency  Calls — The  Final  War 
Council — Nearing  the  Day  of  Battle — In  Manila  Bay. 

Without  treating  the  subject  in  a  technical  way,  I  purpose  giving  an 
account  of  Commodore  (now  Admiral)  Dewey's  operations  in  the  Phil 
ippines,  from  the  time  when  war  with  Spain  was  declared  to  the  occupa 
tion  of  the  city  of  Manila.  To  most  of  these  events  I  was  an  eye-witness, 
and  I  was  in  a  position  to  learn  what  may  be  called  the  "inside  history" 
of  every  important  occurrence  in  the  bay. 

Shortly  after  the  explosion  that  destroyed  the  Maine,  Commodore 
Dewey  received  orders  to  concentrate  the  Asiatic  squadron  a,t  Hong 
Kong.  Without  professing  to  tell  any  state  secrets,  I  may  say  that  this 
rendezvous  was  made  as  a  precautionary  move  in  case  the  investiga 
tion  into  the  cause  of  the  Maine's  destruction  should  result  in  war 
with  Spain.  Accordingly  the  Flagship  Olympia,  the  Boston,  the  Ra 
leigh  and  the  Concord,  cruisers,  and  the  gunboat  Petrel,  assembled  in 
the  harbor  of  Hong  Kong  before  the  middle  of  March,  1898.  The 
Monocacy,  the  only  remaining  vessel  on  the  Asiatic  station,  was  left 
in  Shanghai  because  she  was  not  sufficiently  seaworthy  to  make  even 
a  short  cruise. 

As  I  was  not  with  Commodore  Dewey  a,t  this  time,  I  can  speak  about 
his  acts  prior  to  my  joining  him  only  from  information  obtained  from 
his  officers;  but  as  to  its  absolute  accuracy  there  can  be  no  question. 

When  the  news  of  the  destruction  of  the  Maine  was  received  on  the 
Asiatic  station,  the  news  agency  that  serves  the  Far  East  with  dis 
patches  from  the  United  States  and  Europe  sent  such  meager  and  un 
satisfactory  reports  that  the  officers  of  the  squadron  in  Hong  Kong 
subscribed  a  sufficient  sum  of  money  to  have  a  full  account  cabled  to 

23 


24  FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA. 

them.  Wishing  an  accurate  and  unbiased  story,  they  asked  Col.  W.  L. 
Church,  editor  of  the  Army  and  Navy  Journal,  of  New  York,  to  send 
them  the  admitted  facts  concerning  the  disaster  to  the  Maine,  and 
within  ten  days  they  had  all  the  information  that  W9 '  xhen  obtainable. 

Dewey's  Opinion  of  the  Maine  Disaster. 

Commodore  Dewey  was  too  well  versed  in  all  the  technical  questions 
involved  to  have  a.ny  doubt  about  the  real  cause  of  the  explosion.  He 
made  all  his  plans  upon  the  probability  that  the  court  of  investigation 
would  lay  the  disaster  at  the  door  of  the  Spaniards  and  that  there  could 
be  only  one  result  of  such  a  finding — namely,  war  between  the  United 
States  and  Spain.  To  be  ready  for  that  emergency  he  made  every  prep 
aration  that  skill  and  experience  could  suggest.  His  ships  wrere  docked, 
that  their  bottoms  might  be  cleaned ;  their  bunkers  were  kept  filled  with 
coal;  provisions  were  ordered  in  ample  quantities,  so  that  they  might 
leave  port  at  any  time  with  supplies  sufficient  to  feed  the  crews  for 
three  months,  and  every  piece  of  mechanism,  whether  in  the  propelling 
machinery  or  at  the  guns,  was  overhauled  and  put  in  complete  order 
for  effective  and  continuous  work.  As  the  relations  between  the  two 
powers  became  more  and  more  strained,  the  Commodore  asked  and  ob 
tained  leave  to  charter  a  supply  ship  and  a  collier.  The  British  steamer 
Zafiro  was  taken  for  the  supply  vessel,  and  the  British  steamer  Nanshan, 
laden  with  3,000  tons  of  the  best  Welsh  coal,  was  chartered  as  the 
collier. 

How  thoroughly  Commodore  Dewey  made  his  preparations  may  be 
understood  by  a  comparison  of  the  dates  of  his  movements  against  the 
Spanish  forces  in  the  Philippines.  War  was  declared  on  Monday, 
April  25th,  and  on  Wednesday,  April  27th,  he  sailed  for  Manila,  having 
waited  two  days  solely  on  account  of  the  coming  of  the  United  States 
Consul  at  Manila,  who,  he  had  been  informed,  would  bring  him  im 
portant  facts  concerning  the  Spanish  fleet  and  the  defences  of  Manila. 

It  was  just  before  this  time  that  my  own  preparations  to  take  part  in 
the  Manila  campaign  were  made.  I  had  gone  to  Japan  to  keep  a  look 
out  upon  the  British,  Japanese  and  Russian  fleets  in  the  Far  East,  be 
cause  there  were  such  indications  of  tension  among  the  Western  powers 
that  it  wras  desirable  to  be  in  the  neighborhood  of  Asiatic  waters  for  any 
war  that  might  occur  between  Russia  and  Great  Britain. 


FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA.  25 

Arranging  to  Join  Dewey. 

Being  in  Tokio,  Japan,  I  cabled  to  Commodore  Dewey  on  Saturday, 
April  9th,  as  follows: 

"The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  gives  me  permission  to  accompany  your 
squadron  to  the  Philippines  if  you  do  not  object.  May  I  go  with  you, 
agreeing  not  to  send  while  with  you  any  news  except  when  approved  by 
you?  If  yes,  shall  I  come  immediately?  Stickney,  Imperial  Hotel." 

I  received  next  day  the  following  reply,  dated  Hong  Kong: 

"Yes;   come  immediately.     Dewey." 

On  Monday,  April  llth,  the  cruiser  Baltimore,  bringing  ammunition 
for  Dewey's  ships,  entered  the  harbor  of  Yokohama  just  as  I  was  em 
barking  in  the  mail  steamer  China  for  Hong  Kong,  and  I  was  thus  as 
sured  of  joining  the  Commodore  before  he  sailed  for  the  Philippines, 
because  I  knew  he  would  wait  for  the  Baltimore;  and,  as  the  latter  was 
going  to  remain  in  Yokohama  long  enough  to  fill  up  with  coal,  it  was 
a  practical  certainty  that  the  China  would  reach  Hong  Kong  first.  I  had 
as  a  shipmate  in  the  China  Captain  (then  Commander)  B.  P.  Lamberton, 
United  States  Navy,  who  was  under  orders  to  report  to  Commodore 
Dewey,  to  take  command  of  the  cruiser  Boston.  As  fog  and  storm  de 
layed  the  China  two  days  over  her  schedule  time  "between  Yokohama 
and  Hong  Kong,  we  were  both  seriously  apprehensive  that  we  should 
find  our  squadron  gone  to  Mirs  Bay  when  we  reached  our  destination,  as 
we  had  been  informed  in  Shanghai  that  Commodore  Dewey  had  already 
withdrawn  to  that  bay,  about  thirty  miles  north  of  Hong  Kong — in 
formation  which  we  found  to  be  incorrect. 

The  First  Sight  of  War  Preparations. 

Entering  the  harbor  of  Hong  Kong  in  a  moderate  gale  after  night 
fall  on  Thursday,  April  21st,  th^  China  was  obliged  to  anchor  below  Lye 
Moon  Pass,  far  down  the  bay,  anoTwlTwere  unable  to  learn  whether  or 
not  our  ships  were  in  the  harbor;  but,  as  we  went  to  the  China's  moor 
ing  buoy  at  daylight  next  morning  and  the  long  stretch  of  the  man-of- 
war  anchorage  opened  into  view,  we  saw  seven  grim  vessels  moored  in 
line,  apart  from  the  white  painted  hulls  of  the  British  squadron.  And 
simultaneously  the  same  thought  flashed  through  OUT  minds,  and  to- 


26  FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA. 

geilier  we  cried:  "They're  grey!  They're  grey!  This  means  war!" 
For,  instead  of  the  brilliant  white,  that  had  made  our  ships  such  con 
spicuous  features  of  the  Yokohama  harbor,  when  I  had  last  seen  them 
there,  every  one  wore  a  garb  of  olive  grey — the  recognized  war  paint  of 
the  navy.  But  we  were  in  time  for  the  battle,  and  our  hearts  were  glad. 

And  presently,  through  the  fog-laden  atmosphere  that  obscured  the 
view  of  the  lower  bay,  we  saw  a  great  white  ship  forge  into  the  harbor 
flying  the  "stars  and  stripes"  and  making  signals  to  the  Olympia.  It  was 
the  Baltimore,  just  arriving  from  Yokohama.  The  curtain  was  about 
to  rise  on  a  war  drama  of  which  all  the  world  was  to  furnish  the 
spectators. 

Events  began  to  move  fast  enough  now.  The  Baltimore  had  been 
lying  in  Honolulu  a  long  time,  and  her  bottom  was  covered  with  seaweed 
and  barnacles  to  such  an  extent  as  to  reduce  her  speed  very  seriously. 
In  preparation  for  her  arrival,  therefore,  permission  had  been  obtained 
to  dock  this  fine  cruiser  as  soon  as  she  reached  Hong  Kong,  and  before 
sunrise  next  morning  she  was  floated  into  dock  at  Kowloon,  just  across 
the  harbor.  The  forethought  which  Commodore  Dewey  showed  in 
laying  his  plans  was  equalled  only  by  the  rapidity  with  which  he  and 
his  subordinates  executed  them.  The  English  navy  officers,  w^ho  have 
a  pretty  good  reputation  for  skill  in  the  management  of  ships  and 
seamen,  were  surprised  at  the  prompt  handling  of  the  Baltimore  and 
the  amount  of  work  done  by  her  men.  On  Sunday,  April  23d,  she  came 
out  of  dock,  her  bottom  cleaned  and  coated  writh  anti-fouling  com 
pound  and  her  upper  hull  repainted  with  the  war  color  of  bluish  grey. 

From  Hong  Kong  to  Manila. 

Acting  Governor  Black  issued  a  proclamation  Saturday  evening  in 
which  he  announced  the  neutrality  of  Great  Britain  and  laid  down  the 
rules  which  the  warships  of  the  United  States  and  Spain  would  have 
to  obey  in  Hong  Kong  waters.  In  accordance  therewith  Commodore 
Dewey  sent  most  of  his  squadron  out  of  the  harbor  on  Sunday,  and  all 
the  American  cruisers  were  anchored  in  Mirs  Bay  on  Monday,  April 
24th.  The  Commodore  was  all  ready  for  action  that  day,  but  he  wished 
to  await  the  arrival  of  the  United  States  consul  at  Manila,  Mr.  O.  F. 
Williams,  who  was  then  on  his  way  from  Manila  to  Hong  Kong. 

Commodore  Dewey's  orders  when  he  sailed  from  Mirs  Bay  were  brief 


FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA.  27 

but  explicit.  He  was  instructed  to  proceed  to  the  Philippine  Islands 
and  do  his  utmost  to  capture  or  destroy  the  Spanish  naval  force  in  those 
waters.  During  the  battle  in  which  he  completely  accomplished  the 
task  set  him  he  kept  those  orders  so  literally  in  mind  that,  for  a  long 
time  after  the  Spanish  batteries  had  begun  to  show  that  they  could  do 
better  shooting  than  was  being  done  by  the  Spanish  cruisers,  the  Com 
modore  refused  to  turn  any  of  his  fire  upon  them. 

"We'll  sink  the  ships  first,"  he  said,  "and  then  we'll  finish  off  the 
shore  guns." 

Augustin's  Bombastic  Proclamation. 

One  of  the  curiosities  of  the  day  was  the  issuance  by  Captain-General 
Augustin  of  a  proclamation  concerning  the  coming  of  our  fleet.  It  was 
couched  in  such  extravagant  and  absurd  language  that  many  people 
refused  to  believe  that  it  was  really  issued  by  the  Spanish  commander- 
in-chief.  Having  obtained  a  copy  of  the  Spanish  newspaper  in  Manila 
in  which  it  was  officially  published,  I  present  herewith,  in  fac-simile, 
that  part  of  the  paper  containing  it,  with  a  translation  into  English. 


ESP  ANGLES:  EXTRAORDINARY       PROCLA 
MATION     BY     THE     GOV- 

Entre  Espafia  y  los  Estados-  ERNOR-GENERAL     OF 

Unidos  de  la  America  del  Norte  THE   PHILIPPINES. 

se  han  roto  las  hostilidades. 

Llego  el  momento  de  demostrar  "Spaniards.— 

al  mundo  que  nos  sobran  alientos  "Between  Spain  and  the  United 

para  veneer  a  los  que,  fingie'ndose  States  of  North  America  hostilities 

amigos  leales,  aprovecharon  nues-  have  broken  out. 
tras  desgracias  y  explotaron  nues-  "The   moment   has   arrived   to 

tra    hidalguia    utilizando    medios  prove  to  the  world  that  we  possess 

que   las   naciones   cultas  reputan  the  spirit  to  conquer  those  who, 

por  reprobados  6  indignos.  pretending  to  be  loyal  friends,  take 

El      pueblo      norte-americano,  advantage  of  our  misfortunes  and 

formado  por  todas  las  excrecencias  abuse  our  hospitality,  using  means 

sociales,  a  got  6  nuestra  paciencia  y  which  civilized  nations  count  un- 

ha  provocado  la  guerra  con  sus  worthy  and  disreputable. 


FKOM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA. 


perfidas  niaquinaciones,  con  sus 
actos  de  deslealtad,  con  sus 
atentados  al  derecho  de  gentes  y 
a  las  convenciones  internacionales. 

La  lucha  sera  breve  y  decisiva. 
El  Dios  de  las  victorias  nos  la  con- 
cedera  tan  brillante  y  completa 
conio  demandan  la  razon  y  la 
justicia  de  nuestra  causa.  Espana, 
que  cuenta  con  las  simpatias  de 
todas  las  Naciones,  saldra  triun- 
fante  de  esta  nueva  prueba,  humi- 
llando  y  haciendo  enmudecer  a  los 
aventureros  de  aquellos  Estados 
que,  sin  cohesion  y  sin  historia, 
solo  ofrecen  d  la  humanidad  tradi- 
ciones  vergonzosas  y  el  espectaculo 
ingrato  de  unas  Camaras  en  que 
aparecen  unidas  la  procacidad  y 
la  difamacion,  la  cobardia  y  el 
cinismo. 

Una  escuacira,  tripulada  por 
gentes  advenedizas,  sin  instruc- 
cion  ni  disciplina,  se  dispone  a 
venir  a  este  archipielago  con  el 
descabellado  proposito  de  arreba- 
taros  cuanto  significa  vida,  honor 
y  libertad.  Prete"ndese  inspirar  4 
los  marines  norte-americanos  el 
coraje  de  que  son  incapaces,  en- 
comendandoles,  como  realizable 
empresa,  la  de  sustituir  con  el  pro- 
testantismo  la  religion  catolica 
que  profesais,  trataros  corao  tribus 
refractarias  a  la  civilizacion, 
apoderarse  de  vuestras  riquezas 
como  si  os  fuese  desconocido  el 
derecho  de  propiedad,  arrebataros, 


"The  North  American  people, 
constituted  of  all  the  social  ex- 
cresences,  have  exhausted  our  pa 
tience  and  provoked  war  with 
their  perfidious  machinations, 
with  their  acts  of  treachery,  with 
their  outrages  against  the  law  of 
nations  and  international  conven 
tions. 

"The  struggle  will  be  short  and 
decisive.  The  God  of  Victories  will 
give  us  one  as  brilliant  and  com 
plete  as  the  righteousness  and  jus 
tice  of  our  cause  demand.  Spain, 
which  counts  upon  the  sympathies 
of  all  the  nations,  will  emerge  tri 
umphantly  from  this  war  test, 
humiliating  and  blasting  the  ad 
venturers  from  those  States  that, 
without  cohesion  and  without  a 
historj7,  offer  to  humanity  only  in- 
famous  traditions  and  the  ungrate 
ful  spectacle  of  Chambers  in  which 
appear  united  insolence  and  defa 
mation,  cowardice  and  cynicis.m. 

A  Very  Bad  Lot,  These  Americans. 

"A  squadron  manned  by  for 
eigners,  possessing  neither  instruc 
tion  nor  discipline,  is  preparing  to 
come  to  this  archipelago  with  the 
ruffianly  intention  of  robbing  us 
of  all  that  means  life,  honor,  and 
liberty.  Pretending  to  be  inspired 
by  a  courage  of  which  they  are  in 
capable,  the  North  American  sea 
men  undertake  as  an  enterprise 
capable  of  realization  tin."  substitu- 


FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA. 


29 


en  fin,  las  personas  que  consideren 
utiles  para  tripular  sus  barcos  6 
ser  explotadas  en  faenas  agricolas 
6  trabajos  industriales. 

jVanos   propositos!     j  Ridicules 
alardes! 

Vuestra  indomable  bravura 
basta  a  impedir  que  osen  intentar 
siquiera  realizarlos.  No  consen- 
tire'is,  no,  que  se  escarnezca  la  fe 
que  profesais,  ui  que  plantas  im- 
pias  hollen  el  teinplo  del  Dios  ver- 
dadero,  ni  que  la  incredulidad  der- 
roque  las  santas  imagenes  que 
adorais;  no  profanaran  los  agre- 
sores  las  tumbas  de  vuestros  pa 
dres:  no  satisfaran  sus  impudicas 
pasiones  a  costa  del  honor  de  vues- 
tras  esposas  6  hijas;  no  os  arreba- 
taran  los  bienes  que  vuestra  virtud 
acumulo  para  asegurar  vuestra 
vida;  no  realizaran,  no,  ninguno 
de  esos  crimenes  acariciados  por 
su  maldad  y  su  codicia,  porque 
vuestro  valor  y  vuestro  patriotismo 
bastan  para  escarmentar  y  abatir 
al  pueblo  que,  llamandose  civiliza- 
do  j  culto,  emplea  el  exterminio 
con  los  indigenas  de  la  America 
del  Norte  sin  procurar  atraerlos  a 
la  vida  de  la  civilizacion  j  del  pro- 
greso. 

i  Filipinos!  preparaos  a  la 
lucha,  j  unidos  cuantos  cobija  la 
gloriosa  bandera  espafiola,  siem- 
pre  cubierta  de  laureles,  peleemos 
con  el  convencimiento  de  que  la 
victoria  coronara  nuestros  esfuer- 


tion  of  Protestantism  for  the  Cath 
olic  religion  you  profess,  to  treat 
you  as  tribes  refractory  to  civiliza 
tion,  to  take  possession  of  }rour 
riches  as  if  they  were  unac 
quainted  with  the  rights  of  prop 
erty,  and  to  kidnap  those  persons 
whom  they  consider  useful  to  man 
their  ships  or  to  be  exploited  in 
agricultural  or  industrial  labor. 

"Vain  designs!  Ridiculous 
boastings! 

"Your  indomitable  bravery  will 
suffice  to  frustrate  the  attempt  to 
carry  them  into  realization.  You 
will  not  allow  the  faith  you  pro 
fess  to  be  made  a  mock  of  impious 
hands  to  be  placed  on  the  temple 
of  the  true  God,  the  images  you 
adore  to  be  thrown  down  by  un 
belief.  The  aggressors  shall  not 
profane  the  tombs  of  your  fathers, 
they  shall  not  gratify  their  lustful 
passions  at  the  cost  of  your  wives' 
and  daughters'  honor,  or  appro 
priate  the  property  that  your  in 
dustry  has  accumulated  as  a  pro 
vision  for  your  old  age.  No,  they 
shall  not  perpetrate  any  of  the 
crimes  inspired  by  their  wicked 
ness  and  covetousness,  because 
your  valor  and  patriotism  will 
suffice  to  punish  and  abase  the 
people  that,  claiming  to  be  civil 
ized  and  cultivated,  have  extermi 
nated  the  natives  of  North  Ameri 
ca  instead  of  bringing  to  them  the 
life  of  civilization  and  of  progress. 


30  FKOM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA. 

zos   y   contestemos  a  las  intima-  "Philipinos,    prepare    for    the 

clones  de  nuestros  enemigos  con  la  struggle  and,  united  under  the 
decision  del  cristiano  y  del  patrio-  glorious  Spanish  flag,  which  is 
ta  al  grito  de  !  Viva  Espaila !  ever  covered  with  laurels,  let  us 

Manila,  23  de  Abril  de  1898.          fight  with  the  conviction  that  vic- 
Vuestro  General,  tory  will  crown  our  efforts,  and  to 

Basilio  Augustin  y  Davila.  the  calls  of  our  enemies  let  us  op 
pose  with  the  decision  of  the 
Christian  and  the  patriot  the  cry 
of  'Viva  Espana.' 

"Manila,  23d  April,  1898. 

"Your  General, 
"Basilio  Augustin  Davila." 

About  noon  on  Wednesday  the  consul  reached  Mirs  Bay,  and  prompt 
ly  the  signal  was  made:  "Get  under  way."  During  the  time  since  it 
had  become  apparent  that  war  was  inevitable  the  squadron  had  been 
engaged  in  preparations  for  an  immediate  fight,  and  the  signal  was 
answered  with  an  alacrity  that  showed  how  welcome  was  the  order  to 
the  ships'  companies.  At  two  o'clock  the  flagship  Olympia  led  the  way 
out  of  Mirs  Bay,  followed  by  the  Baltimore,  the  Raleigh,  the  Petrel,  the 
Concord  and  the  Boston,  in  the  order  named,  while  in  a  separate  line 
were  the  dispatch-boat  McCulloch,  the  Zafiro  and  the  Nanshan.  The 
slow  speed  of  eight  knots  was  set  by  the  flagship,  because  the  colliers 
were  deeply  laden,  and  it  was  not  wise  to  push  them  to  their  best  speed 
in  the  long,  moderate  sea  then  running. 

The  course  was  laid  for  Cape  Bolinao,  near  the  northern  end  of  the 
island  of  Luzon,  and  we  ran  out  of  the  ground  swell  before  Thursday 
night,  although  there  was  still  enough  motion  on  the  smaller  ships  to 
keep  their  decks  wet  and  far  from  comfortable.  Wednesday  midnight 
the  Commodore  waked  the  boys  up  with  a  call  to  "quarters  for  action," 
just  to  see  how  quickly  they  could  get  their  ships  ready  to  meet  the 
enemy.  As  the  rapid  and  stirring  notes  of  the  bugle  rang  through  the 
Olympia,  followed  by  the  hoarse  call  of  the  boatswain's  mates,  the  silent 
beehive  was  instantaneously  transformed  into  a  scene  of  the  greatest 
activity.  The  watch  already  on  deck  promptly  began  to  clear  the  bat 
tery  for  service.  The  watch  below,  roused  out  of  their  early  sleep, 
quickly  dropped  from  their  hammocks  or  sprang  from  the  deck  where 


FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA.  31 

they  had  been  sleeping  and  hustled  into  their  clothes.  Soon  they  began 
appearing  on  the  upper  deck,  each  carrying  two  hammocks,  to  be  stowed 
in  the  nettings  or  packed  around  the  small  rapid-fire  pieces  as  a  pro 
tection  against  musketry. 

A  Test  of  Readiness  for  Battle. 

The  sea  fastenings  of  the  guns  were  hastily  cast  loose,  the  training 
levers  shipped,  the  sights  uncovered,  the  elevating  screws  worked  and 
the  sponge  and  rammer  placed  ready  for  use.  In  the  powder  division  the 
magazines  were  opened,  the  hatches  of  the  shell  rooms  taken  off,  the 
electric  battle  lanterns  turned  on  and  put  in  their  proper  places,  the 
division  tubs  filled  with  water  and  the  ammunition  hoists  set  at  work 
whipping  up  powder  and  shell.  The  master's  division  went  to  the  wheel 
and  the  lead,  hung  up  the  battle  lanterns  and  swiftly  swung  the  search 
lights  around  to  be  sure  that  they  were  in  easy  working  condition.  The 
signalmen  cleared  away  the  Ardois  lights  and  got  out  the  Costou 
signals,  ready  to  communicate  with  the  other  ships  of  the  fleet  as  occa 
sion  might  require.  The  engineer's  division  gathered  at  their  stations 
in  the  fire  rooms  and  engine  rooms,  ready  to  fire  up  under  all  boilers 
and  put  on  any  pressure  of  steam  up  to  the  maximum  limit  as  called 
upon,  at  the  same  time  closing  the  watertight  compartment  doors  and 
starting  the  forced-draft  air  blowers.  Throughout  the  ship  there  was 
continuous  movement  and  preparation,  carried  forward  in  silence  and 
generally  in  darkness,  the  only  noises  being  those  caused  by  the  working 
of  the  machinery  and  the  guns. 

Suddenly,  out  of  the  silent  gloom,  the  voice  of  the  executive  officer, 
Lieutenant  Kees,  was  heard:  "Man  the  starboard  battery!  Pivot  to 
starboard !"  The  heavy  turrets  swung  around  on  their  centers  till  their 
guns  pointed  off  to  starboard,  and  the  men  quickly  took  their  places 
at  the  guns  on  the  starboard  side  of  the  ship.  When  each  division 
officer  had  satisfied  himself  that  not  one  small  detail  of  preparation  had 
been  overlooked,  he  went  to  the  upper  deck  where  the  executive  officer 
was  standing  and  reported  his  division.  The  ship's  writer,  acting  as 
clerk  for  the  executive — in  the  absence  of  naval  cadets  in  the  Olympia— 
took  note  of  the  time  when  each  division  officer  made  his  report,  thus 
keeping  a  record  by  which  the  captain  could  judge  the  promptitude  of 
his  crew  in  all  its  departments. 


32  FROM  HONG  KONG  TO   MANILA. 


Spirited  Work  on  the  Olympia. 

In  just  seven  minutes  from  the  first  note  on  the  bugle,  Lieutenant 
Rees  reported  to  the  captain:  "The  ship  is  cleared  for  action,  sir." 
A  rapid  drill  at  the  guns — "going  through  the  motions"  of  loading  and 
firing  at  an  imaginary  enemy,  first  on  one  side  and  then  on  the  other- 
kept  the  men  on  the  jump  for  twenty  minutes,  and  then  came  the  order: 
"Secure!"  With  a  rapidity  like  to  that  with  which  the  guns  had  been 
cast  loose,  the  crew  returned  to  the  magazines  and  shell-rooms  the 
ammunition  that  had  been  brought  on  deck,  replaced  the  temporary 
fittings  that  had  been  removed  and  secured  the  guns  for  sea.  Again 
the  division  officers  had  a  brisk  rivalry  to  be  first  in  reporting  their 
divisions  secured,  and  when  they  had  made  their  reports  the  executive 
officer  sent  word  to  the  captain,  "All  secure,  sir."  This  was  followed 
by  "Retreat!"  sounded  on  the  bugle,  and  the  men  left  their  battle  sta 
tions  to  resume  the  usual  routine  of  the  night  watches. 

During  the  slow  run  across  the  China  Sea,  the  men  in  our  ships  were 
exercised  in  all  the  duties  pertaining  to  battle  except  the  actual  firing 
of  the  guns.  There  was  never  a  moment  after  the  time  the  "hands  were 
turned  to" — the  navy  phrase  that  indicates  the  waking  up  of  every  one 
aboard  and  the  stowing  of  all  hammocks  in  the  nettings — when  the 
crews  were  not  busy  about  something  that  would  be  of  use  to  them  in 
the  fight  that  was  now  so  near  at  hand.  When  twilight  hour  came  it 
was  a  fairly  well  tired-out  lot  of  jackies  that  carried  their  hammocks  be 
low  to  get  a  night's  rest,  broken,  of  course,  by  the  regular  sea  watches. 

Patriotic  Music  at  Sea. 

At  the  hour  when  the  officers  dined  in  the  evening  the  band  mus 
tered  on  the  deck  just  forward  of  the  Commodore's  cabin  and  played 
popular  airs,  the  selections  being  made  usually  from  the  light  comic 
operas  and  stirring  march  movements  of  favorite  composers;  but  on 
Thursday,  the  day  after  leaving  Mirs  Bay,  Bandmaster  Valifuoco  select 
ed  the  music  with  special  reference  to  rousing  the  patriotism  of  the 
"boys  in  blue,"  choosing  many  of  the  airs  that  had  been  popular  in  the 
north  during  our  civil  war.  These  were  all  favorably  received,  but  it 
was  not  till  the  band  struck  up  "Yankee  Doodle"  that  the  boys  cheered. 
When  the  concert  closed  with  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner,"  the  voices 


FEOM  HONG  KONG  TO   MANILA.  33 

of  at  least  fifty  men  took  up  the  words  of  each  verse,  the  young  ap 
prentices  being  particularly  noticeable  in  the  lead,  and  the  chorus 
spread  through  the  ship  from  forecastle  to  cabin  with  an  enthusiasm 
that  carried  with  it  the  hearts  of  all  on  board. 

Land  was  sighted  Saturday  morning,  April  30th,  the  squadron  hav 
ing  arrived  off  Cape  Bolinao,  near  the  north  end  of  the  Island  of  Luzon. 
That  forenoon  the  Boston  and  the  Concord  were  sent  ahead  of  the  rest 
of  the  fleet  to  enter  Subig  Bay,  which  is  about  thirty  miles  north  of 
the  entrance  to  Manila  Bay.  As  it  was  thought  that  perhaps  the 
Spanish  squadron  might  have  moved  up  to  this  bay,  the  Baltimore  was 
sent  to  reinforce  the  other  two  vessels  a  little  before  noon. 

As  the  remaining  ships  came  down  the  coast  at  easy  speed,  several 
small  schooners  were  sighted  along  the  shore  and  the  Commodore  or 
dered  the  Zafiro  to  overhaul  one  of  them  to  see  whether  she  could  give 
us  news  concerning  the  Spanish  defences  at  Manila.  When  the  Zafiro 
returned  from  this  duty  signal  was  made  to  her  to  come  within  hail  of 
the  flagship.  Her  captain,  misgauging  his  speed  as  he  came  close 
alongside  the  Olympia,shot  ahead  and  then  made  the  mistake  of  putting 
his  helm  the  wrong  way.  In  consequence,  the  Zafiro  swung  straight 
across  the  flagship's  bows,  and  a  collision  seemed  inevitable.  Lieu 
tenant  Strite,  the  officer  of  the  deck — that  is,  the  officer  having  charge 
of  the  handling  of  the  Olympia  during  that  watch — was  equal  to  the 
emergency.  He  quickly  put  the  Olympia's  helm  over  also,  and  the  two 
vessels  glided  past  each  other  without  touching.  As  the  Olympia's  bow 
just  cleared  the  Zafiro's  stern  by  a  distance  of  not  more  than  three  or 
four  feet,  the  Commodore  said  to  Captain  Gridley : 

Commodore  Dewey's  Way. 

"Who  has  the  deck,  Captain  Gridley?"  and  then,  when  informed,  he 
added:  "Give  my  compliments  to  Lieutenant  Strite  and  tell  him  that 
I  noticed  and  appreciated  his  coolness  and  skill  in  handling  the  ship  so 
as  to  avoid  a  collision." 

It  was  not  a  matter  of  much  moment  in  itself,  since  Strite  did  no 
more  than  his  duty,  but  the  incident  was  illustrative  of  Dewey's  way  of 
dealing  with  his  officers. 

When  we  arrived  off  the  entrance  to  Subig  Bay,  early  in  the  after 
noon,  the  Boston,  the  Baltimore  and  the  Concord  came  out  of  the  bay 


34  FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA. 

and  reported  that  the  Spaniards  had  neither  ships  nor  shore  guns  in 
the  harbor.  Our  course  for  Manila  was  resumed.  Now  the  final  prep 
arations  for  battle  were  made.  All  woodwork  that  could  be  removed 
without  injury  to  the  working  of  the  vessels  was  thrown  overboard,  and 
it  was  interesting  to  see  the  men  coming  on  deck  in  a  steady  stream, 
carrying  in  their  arms  tables,  chairs,  doors  and  bulkheads,  which  they 
would  pitch  into  the  sea  as  though  the}7  were  enjoying  the  opportunity 
to  dismantle  the  interior  of  their  ship.  In  fact,  the  seamen  were  glad 
to  get  rid  of  everything  that  might  endanger  their  lives  by  fire.  In  the 
Olympia  the  men  had  a  number  of  board  tables,  made  to  swing  from  the 
beams  above  the  berth  deck,  upon  which  they  served  their  meals.  The 
executive  officer  gave  an  order  that  these  mess-tables  should  be  "put 
over  the  side,"  meaning  that  they  should  be  hung  outside  the  ship  by 
ropes  in  a  position  where,  even  if  they  should  catch  on  fire,  they  would 
endanger  nothing  else.  But  the  seamen  chose  to  interpret  the  order 
to  mean  that  the  tables  should  go  overboard,  and  the  result  was  that, 
after  the  battle,  the  jackies  had  to  eat  either  standing  or  lying  down, 
since  they  had  no  tables. 

Giving  His  Captains  Their  Final  Orders. 

A  few  miles  north  of  the  entrance  to  Manila  Bay,  Commodore  Dewey 
stopped  his  flagship  and  made  signal  for  commanding  officers  to  repair 
on  board.  When  every  gig  had  been  called  away,  and  the  captain  of 
ea.ch  ship  was  steering  in  solitary  state  toward  the  Olympia,  no  one 
needed  to  be  told  that  we  were  on  the  eve  of  battle. 

"They're  comin',"  said  one  of  the  old  seamen,  "to  hear  the  'old  man's' 
last  word  before  we  go  at  the  Dons." 

"Not  his  last  word,"  said  one  of  the  younger  men. 

"Perhaps  not  his,"  was  the  reply,  "but  it's  near  our  last  words  some 
of  us  are.  There'll  be  many  an  eye  will  look  at  that  sunset  to-night 
that'll  never  see  another." 

But  such  prophets  of  sorrow  were  rare.  As  a  rule  our  men  went 
into  the  action  of  Manila  Bay  with  their  minds  more  set  upon  revenge 
than  foreboding. 

The  sun  went  down  on  a  sea  as  calm  as  if  storm  were  unknown,  the 
deep  sapphire  surface  being  unruffled  by  even  a  ripple.  Heaps  of  clouds 
in  the  southeast  were  colored  in  all  the  gorgeous  pageantry  of  a  tropical 


FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA.  35 

brilliancy,  and  some  of  the  more  imaginative  minds  were  able  to  see 
cloud-shapes  that  resembled  the  Maine. 

The  war  council  was  of  short  duration.  Commodore  Dewey  had  de 
cided  on  his  plans  before  it  met,  and  he  took  little  time  in  giving  to 
each  captain  his  duties  for  the  night  and  next  day.  By  seven  o'clock 
the  gigs  were  all  hoisted  at  their  davits,  the  flagship  was  again  under 
way,  and  long  before  dark  every  vessel  had  taken  her  station,  ready  to 
run  by  the  batteries  at  the  mouth  of  the  bay  or  to  fight  her  passage,  as 
circumstances  might  require.  Aside  from  one  light  at  the  very  stern  of 
each  ship,  intended  as  a  guide  for  the  next  in  line,  not  a  glimmer  was  to 
be  seen  aboard  any  craft  in  the  fleet.  As  I  looked  astern  from  the 
Olympiads  taffrail,  I  could  just  get  a  faint  suggestion  of  a  ghostly  shape 
where  the  Baltimore  grimly  held  her  course  on  our  port  quarter,  while 
the  Raleigh,  somewhat  further  away  on  our  starboard  quarter,  could 
be  seen  by  only  the  sharpest  eyes  when  the  moon  was  wholly  unob- 
scured  by  cloud. 

Entering  Manila  Bay. 

The  Commodore  decided  to  waste  no  time  in  useless  delay;  but,  re 
gardless  of  hidden  mines  and  shore  batteries,  led  the  way  into  the 
harbor.  With  all  lights  out,  and  the  crews  at  the  guns,  the  warships  in 
their  grey  war  paint  turned  silently  toward  the  Boca  Grande,  the 
larger  entrance  to  the  bay,  the  flagship,  Olympia,  leading.  Following 
closely,  in  the  order  that  was  retained  during  the  battle  of  the  suc 
ceeding  day,  came  the  Baltimore,  the  Raleigh,  the  Petrel,  the  Concord, 
and  the  Boston. 

As  the  fleet  approached  the  entrance  it  moved  as  slowly  as  was 
compatible  with  keeping  the  formation  of  the  line.  Half  of  the  crew  of 
each  gun  were  allowed  to  sleep  alongside  their  stations  in  order  that 
they  might  be  better  fitted  for  what  was  to  come.  Except  for  the  sleep 
less  eye  on  the  bridge  of  the  Olympia,  and  the  alert  gaze  of  the  officers 
on  watch,  the  ships  seemed  to  slumber,  as  did  the  city  and  the  forts. 

It  was  at  9 :45  o'clock  that  the  men  were  sent  to  their  guns,  but  there 
was  little  needed  in  the  way  of  preparation  for  battle.  On  the  shore 
north  of  the  other  channel — Boca  Chica,  as  it  is  named — we  had  seen  a 
bright  light,  but  there  was  no  stir  perceptible  to  indicate  that  we  had 
been  discovered  by  the  Spaniards.  Opposite  the  middle  of  Corregidor — 


36  FROM  HONG  KONG  TO  MANILA. 

the  island  that  lies  in  the  entrance  to  the  bay — another  light  now  began 
to  flash  at  intervals,  as  if  making  signals,  and  soon  the  flight  of  a  rocket 
from  this  island  told  us  that  we  had  been  discovered. 

"We  ought  to  have  a  shot  from  Corregidor  very  soon  now,"  said  the 
Commodore;  and  having  been  already  sighted,  our  ships  were  permitted 
to  increase  their  speed  to  eight  knots.  The  Olympia  could  have  moved 
at  a  15-knot  gait  without  any  unusual  effort,  and  all  the  warships  could 
have  made  about  twelve  knots;  but  it  would  not  have  been  safe  for 
the  fighting  craft  to  run  away  from  the  non-combatant  column  led  by 
the  revenue  cutter  McCulloch,  and  as  the  Nanshan  and  the  Zafiro  were 
not  capable  of  doing  much  better  than  eight  knots  that  speed  was  never 
exceeded. 

Into  the  yawning  blackness  between  Corregidor  and  the  lone  rock 
that  is  called  El  Fraile — the  Monk — we  passed,  and  still  no  hostile 
demonstration  from  the  Spanish  guns  and  torpedoes.  The  moon  was 
now  hidden  in  the  western  clouds,  and  the  solemn  stillness  of  the 
Olympia,  as  we  steamed  along  in  the  complete  darkness,  made  the 
passage  of  the  entrance  probably  the  most  oppressive  time  of  our  whole 
operations. 

The  First  Shot  from  the  Spaniards. 

On,  on  crept  the  mighty  engines  of  war,  but  the  batteries  on  shore 
gave  no  sign.  Suddenly  when  the  flagship  had  passed  a  mile  beyond 
Corregidor  Island,  a  gun  boomed  out,  and  a  shell  went  screaming  over 
the  Raleigh  and  the  Olympia,  soon  followed  by  a  second.  Three  ships, 
the  Raleigh,  the  Concord  and  the  Boston,  replied,  apparently  with  effect, 
for  the  firing  ceased,  and  again  the  batteries  lay  silent. 

As  Commodore  Dewey  had  planned,  the  fleet  arrived  within  five  miles 
of  Manila  at  daybreak.  What  must  have  been  the  astonishment  in 
the  Spanish  lines  w^hen  the  sun  rose,  and  they  looked  out  on  the  Ameri 
can  ships  that  had  come  in  during  the  night! 

While,  as  yet,  the  fleet  retained  the  appearance  of  calm  that  had 
characterized  its  approach,  now  many  eyes  on  board  lighted  with  the 
fire  of  war,  as  they  sighted  the  Spanish  fleet,  under  command  of  Rear 
Admiral  Montojo,  lying  off  Cavite,  and  realized  that  the  battle  was  at 
hand.  During  most  of  the  battle  the  Spanish  vessels  were  moving  about 
at  full  speed.  The  Spaniards  had  a  well  equipped  navy  yard  called 
Cavite  Arsenal,  which  had  put  the  ships  in  first-rate  fighting  trim,  and 


FROM  HONG  KONG  TO   MANILA.  37 

on  Sangley  Point  they  had  two  strong  batteries  containing  three 
6.2-inch  and  one  4.7-inch  guns;  so  that,  when  we  take  into  account  the 
advantages  that  the  Spaniards  had  in  position,  in  their  opportunities 
to  lay  mines,  and  in  their  knowledge  of  the  bay,  it  may  be  seen  that  it 
was  no  trifling  task  that  confronted  the  fleet. 

With  the  American  flag  flying  from  all  mastheads,  the  ships  moved 
on.  No  excitement  was  visible;  the  quiet  man  on  the  bridge  of  the 
Olympia  was  as  unmoved,  apparently,  as  though  he  were  sailing  into 
a  peaceful  harbor.  For  the  first  time  in  many  years  the  stars  and 
stripes  were  being  borne  aggressively  into  a  foreign  port.  It  was  an 
epoch  in  history.  The  rapid  changes  of  scene  and  the  whole  picturesque 
effect  was  something  never  to  be  forgotten.  The  underlying  meaning  of 
it  all  was  too  great  to  be  readily  understood.  Nineteenth  century  civili 
zation  and  fifteenth  century  medievalism  lay  confronting  each  other. 


CHAPTER  H. 
THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY. 

First  Glimpse  of  the  Enemy's  Fleet  at  Cavite — Dewey  Reserves  His  Fire — 
"You  May  Fire  When  You  Are  Ready,  Captain  Gridley" — The  Story 
of  the  Conflict — That  Withdrawal  for  Breakfast — Resuming  the  At 
tack — Dewey's  Official  Report  to  the  Navy  Department — Dewey  Fulfills 
His  Instructions — How  Captain  Gridley  Told  the  Tale — A  Spanish 
Account  of  Our  Victory. 

As  the  ships  passed  in  front  of  Manila,  action  was  begun  by  the 
Spaniards.  Three  batteries,  mounting  guns  powerful  enough  to  send 
shells  to  the  distance  of  five  miles,  opened  fire.  The  Concord  replied, 
but  Commodore  Dewey,  after  twTo  shots,  made  signal  to  stop  firing,  since 
there  was  danger  of  the  shells  carrying  destruction  and  death  into  the 
crowded  city  beyond. 

At  six  minutes  past  five  o'clock,  wrhen  nearing  Cavite,  there  was  a 
splash  and  roar,  and  two  great  jets  of  water  were  thrown  high  in  air 
ahead  of  the  flagship.  The  fleet  had  come  upon  the  first  of  the  sub 
marine  mines.  Of  course  it  was  possible  and  probable  that  the  whole 
harbor  was  filled  with  torpedoes.  At  any  moment  they  wrere  liable  to 
explode  beneath  the  ships;  but  Commodore  Dewey  had  foreseen  this 
when  he  entered  the  bay,  and  it  did  not  now  cause  him  to  change  his 
plans.  Moreover,  he  had  fought  with  Farragut  at  New  Orleans  and  at 
Mobile,  and  submarine  mines  had  no  terrors  for  him.  Contrary  to  ex 
pectation  no  more  mines  exploded,  and  it  is  believed  that  no  others  had 
been  placed  by  the  Spaniards.  We  regarded  these  explosions  as  a  sort 
of  "bluff,"  intended  to  make  us  imagine  that  there  might  be  other  mines 
in  front  of  Cavite. 

"They  ain't  so  good  at  blowing  up  ships  that  come  with  their  fighting 
clothes  on  as  they  are  at  murdering  a  crew  in  time  of  peace,"  said  one 
of  the  Olympia's  petty  officers,  as  he  saw  the  column  of  water  and  smoke 
subsiding  ahead  of  us;  and  this  reference  to  the  Maine  showed  what 
was  uppermost  in  the  minds  of  our  men  as  they  were  moving  on  for  their 
first  chance  to  avenge  the  crime  perpetrated  in  Havana  last  February. 

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THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY.  41 


Squadron  Formation  for  Battle. 

Steaming  at  the  comparatively  slow  speed  of  eight  knots,  our  ships 
approached  Cavite.  From  the  peak  of  each  vessel  and  from  every  mast 
head  floated  the  "stars  and  stripes" — the  largest  regulation  ensign  being 
displayed.  In  the  lead  was,  of  course,  the  Olympia,  followed  by  the 
Baltimore,  the  Raleigh,  the  Petrel,  the  Concord  and  the  Boston,  in  the 
order  named.  The  revenue  cutter  McCulloch  and  the  merchant 
steamers  attached  to  the  squadron  as  coal  carriers  were  ordered  to  keep 
well  out  of  range  in  the  bay,  and  they  naturally  did  not  try  to  come 
nearer.  The  warships  had  closed  up  to  an  interval  of  about  two  cables' 
lengths — say,  300  yards — and  they  held  their  respective  positions  with 
an  accuracy  that  must  have  astonished  Don  Basilio  Augustin  Pavila,  the 
Spanish  governor,  who  had  told  his  people  that  our  vessels  were  manned 
by  men  without  training  or  discipline. 

Drawing  on  at  this  slow  speed  toward  the  enemy's  line,  I  could  not 
help  recalling  the  lines  of — I  believe  it's  Southey: 

"Like  leviathans  afloat  lay  our  bulwarks  on  the  brine, 
While  the  sign  of  battle  fleAV  down  the  lofty  British  line — 

It  was  ten  of  April  morn  by  the  chime. 
As  we  drifted  on  our  path, 
There  was  silence  deep  as  death, 
And  the  boldest  held  his  breath, 
For  a  time." 

Presently,  we  came  near  enough  to  distinguish  the  Spanish  ships  in 
the  Bay  of  Cavite.  Most  prominently  in  view  at  first  was  a  sort  of 
cream-colored  vessel,  apparently  at  anchor.  This  we  recognized  as  the 
Castilla.  She  was  moored,  head  and  stern,  with  her  port  battery  to 
seaward,  just  outside  the  point  of  low  land  that  makes  out  like  a 
lobster's  claw  and  protects  the  inner  anchorage.  Behind  the  Castilla, 
with  all  steam  up  and  moving  to  and  fro  in  the  back  bay,  were  the  Reina 
Cristina,  flagship,  the  Isla  de  Luzon,  the  Isla  de  Cuba,  the  Don  Juan  de 
Austria,  the  Don  Antonio  de  Ulloa,  the  Marques  del  Dnero,  the  General 
Lezo,  the  Argos,  several  torpedo  boats  and  the  transport  Isla  de  Min 
danao.  The  latter  steamed  away  as  fast  as  she  could  and  was  beached 


42  THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY. 

some  distance  up  the  coast,  where  she  was  burned  by  the  Concord  later 
in  the  day. 

The  Batteries  Open  Fire. 

When  we  were  at  a  distance  of  about  G,000  yards  a  puff  of  very  white 
cloud  arose  from  a  clump  of  bushes  on  shore.  It  was  a  pretty  sight,  for 
the  smoke  floated  away  in  fantastic  shapes  above  the  red  clay  shore  and 
the  bright  green  foliage.  But  for  wThom  aboard  our  ships  did  that  ap 
parently  harmless  pillar  of  white  mean  death  or  mutilation?  Within 
four  seconds  we  heard  the  scream  of  the  shot,  as  it  passed  far  over  us, 
and  we  knew  that  the  first  gun  in  the  battle  of  Manila,  Bay  had  failed 
to  do  us  any  damage.  Then  the  Spanish  flagship,  taking  a  lesson  prob 
ably  from  the  excessive  elevation  given  to  the  shore  gun,  fired  several 
times  in  quick  succession,  with  an  aim  as  much  too  short  as  the  battery's 
had  been  too  high.  Yet  one  or  two  of  her  projectiles  passed  between 
our  masts  on  the  rebound  from  the  water.  More  puffs  of  flame  from 
the  shore  in  different  places  showed  that  the  Spaniards  were  better 
protected  than  we  had  supposed.  Soon  all  the  Spanish  vessels  were 
aflame  with  rapid  gun  fire.  Shell  after  shell  flew  close  over  our  super 
structure  or  skimmed  past  the  head  of  our  Commodore  and  his  staff  on 
our  forward  bridge. 

Still  our  courtly  chief  made  no  sign.  In  the  usual  service  white 
uniform,  wearing,  however,  a  gray  traveling  cap  on 'his  head,  having 
been  unable  to  find  his  uniform  cap  after  the  guns  in  his  cabin  had  been 
cleared  for  action,  the  Commodore  paced  the  bridge,  watching  the 
enemy's  hot  fire  as  if  he  were  a  disinterested  spectator  of  an  unusual  dis 
play  of  fireworks. 

"Take  her  close  along  the  5-fathom  line,  Mr.  Calkins,"  he  said  to  the 
navigator,  "but  be  careful  not  to  get  her  aground." 

The  5-fathom  line  is  the  curve  of  the  coast  outside  of  which  the 
water  is  five  fathoms  deep.  As  the  Olyinpia  was  drawing  more  than 
four  fathoms,  it  was  not  safe  to  take  her  in  closer.  We  had  been  ap 
proaching  the  Spanish  line  at  an  angle  of  about  fifteen  degrees  and  soon 
the  shoaling  of  the  water,  as  shown  by  repeated  casts  of  the  lead,  called 
for  a  change  of  course.  As  the  helm  was  put  to  port  and  the  Olympia's 
men  at  the  port  battery  began  to  get  a  view  of  their  still  distant  enemies, 
they  felt  that  the  moment  for  which  they  so  long  had  waited  was  at 
hand.  No  order  to  open  fire  had  been  given,  but  the  experienced  petty 


THE   BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY.  43 

officers  saw  that  the  ship  was  nearing  a  range  at  which  all  our  guns 
would  be  effective. 

Although  at  first  the  Spanish  shots  flew  wild,  after  a  time  the  gun 
ners  got  a  better  range  and  the  shells  from  both  the  batteries  and  the 
Spanish  vessels  began  to  strike  near  or  burst  close  aboard  the  American 
ships. 

Officers  on  the  Olympia's  Bridge. 

All  this  time,  with  the  exception  of  the  shots  from  the  Concord,  the 
guns  of  the  American  fleet  had  remained  inactive.  The  strain  on  our 
men  was  fearful,  but  they  had  confidence  in  their  commodore  and  sub 
mitted  willingly  to  his  judgment.  Tlie  heat  was  intense,  and  stripped  of 
all  clothing  except  their  trousers,  the  gunners  stood  silent  and  obedient 
at  their  posts.  The  Olympia  might  have  been  empty  if  the  whirr  of 
the  blowers  and  the  throb  of  the  engines  had  not  told  of  pulsating 
human  life.  On  the  forward  bridge  of  the  Olympia  stood  Commodore 
Dewey  surrounded  by  his  staff.  In  this  little  group  were  Commander 
Lamberton,  fleet  captain;  the  executive  officer,  Lieutenant  Rees;  Lieu 
tenant  Calkins,  the  navigator,  who  conned  the  ship  admirably  all 
through  the  battle,  and  the  Commodore's  aide,  myself.  It  was  consid 
ered  unwise  to  run  the  risk  of  losing  all  the  senior  officers  by  one  shell, 
and  therefore  Captain  Gridley  was  in  the  conning  tower. 

Suddenly  a  shell  burst  directly  over  the  center  of  the  ship.  As  the 
projectile  flashed  over  the  head  of  the  man  who  held  the  destiny  of  the 
fleet  in  his  grasp,  it  became  evident  that  the  moment  of  activity  had 
come.  Even  the  powerful  will  of  their  leader  could  no  longer  restrain 
the  surging  war  fever  of  the  crew.  A  boatswain's-mate,  who  had  been 
bending  over,  looking  eagerly  ahead  with  his  hand  on  the  lock  string 
of  the  after  5-inch  gun,  sprung  up  and  cried  out :  "Boys,  remember  the 
Maine!"  Instantly  the  watchword  was  repeated  by  the  two  hundred 
men  at  the  guns.  The  hoarse  shout  was  caught  up  in  the  turrets  and 
fire  rooms.  It  echoed  successively  through  all  the  decks  of  the  silent 
ship,  till  finally,  in  a  sullen  whisper,  "Remember  the  Maine"  stole  up 
through  the  ventilators  from  the  lowest  parts  of  the  hold  to  the  officers 
on  the  bridge.  There  seemed  to  be  no  premeditation  in  the  cry,  but  the 
explosion  that  wrecked  the  gallant  Maine  in  Havana  Harbor  was  the 
spark  that  fired  the  first  gun  in  Manila  Bay,  as  it  was  the  flame  that 


44  THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY. 

set  blazing  the  righteous  indignation  of  the  American  nation  against 
the  cruelty  of  Spain  to  her  oppressed  colonies. 

Dewey  Gives  the  Order  to  Fire. 

"You  may  fire  when  you  are  ready,  Captain  Gridley,"  said  the  Com 
modore.  This  order  sufficed,  and  at  5:41  o'clock  in  the  morning,  at  a 
distance  of  three  miles,  America  roared  forth  her  first  battle  cry  to  Spain 
from  the  starboard  8-inch  gun  in  the  forward  turret  of  the  Olympia. 

The  Baltimore  and  the  Boston  were  not  slow  in  following  the  ex 
ample  of  the  flagship,  and  almost  immediately  their  8-inch  guns  were 
sending  250-pound  shells  toward  the  Castilla  and  the  Reina  Cristina. 
The  battle  now  began  to  rage  fierce  and  fast.  Encouraged  by  the  fact 
that  the  range  was  too  great  for  accuracy,  and  that  the  American  gun 
ners  were  obliged  to  guess  the  distance,  the  Spaniards  fired  more 
rapidly.  Shots  from  their  ship  and  shore  guns  came  through  the  air  in 
a  screaming  shower;  time-fuse  shells  were  constantly  bursting  about 
the  American  fleet,  and  their  fragments,  scattering  in  all  directions, 
would  strike  the  water  like  shrapnel  or  cut  the  hull  and  rigging  of 
the  ships. 

The  Olympia  was  the  target  for  most  of  the  Spanish  guns,  because 
she  was  the  flagship  and  because  she  steered  directly  for  the  center  of 
the  Spanish  line.  One  shell  struck  close  by  a  gun  in  the  ward  room. 
The  signal  halyards  were  cut  from  Lieutenant  Brumby's  hand,  as  he 
stood  on  the  after  bridge.  One  great  projectile,  with  almost  human  in 
tuition,  came  straight  towrard  the  forward  bridge,  but  burst  less  than 
a  hundred  feet  away.  A  fragment  cut  the  rigging  directly  over  the 
heads  of  Commander  Lamberton  and  myself.  Another  struck  the 
bridge  railings  in  line  with  us,  and  still  another,  about  as  large  as  a 
flat  iron,  gouged  a  hole  in  the  deck  a  few  feet  below  the  Commodore. 

Narrow  Escapes  Aboard  the  Baltimore. 

The  Baltimore's  crew  had  several  narrow  escapes.  One  shot  struck 
her  and  passed  through  her,  but  fortunately  hit  no  one.  Another 
ripped  up  her  main  deck,  disabled  one  G-inch  gun,  and  exploded  a  couple 
of  3-pounder  shells,  wounding  eight  men.  This  shell  is  worthy  of 
special  notice  on  account  of  its  eccentric  actions.  It  came  undoubtedly 


THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY.  45 

from  the  Cailacao  battery  and  entered  about  two  feet  above  the  upper 
deck,  on  the  starboard  side,  between  the  after  6-inch  gun  and  the 
3-pouuder  mounted  on  the  rail.  After  piercing  two  plates  of  steel,  each 
one-quarter  of  an  inch  thick,  it  struck  the  deck  and  penetrated  till  it 
cracked  one  of  the  heavy  deck  beams  jclear  through.  Bounding  up 
ward  it  tore  its  way  through  the  steel  combing  of  the  engine  room  sky 
light,  and  again  passed  through  two  quarter-inch  plates.  Leaving  the 
skylight,  it  ranged  forward,  struck  the  recoil  cylinder  of  the  port  6-inch 
gun  on  the  quarter  deck  and  disabled  the  carriage.  It  at  last  met  the 
steel  shield  curved  in  front  of  the  gun.  This  was  strong  enough  to 
resist  the  attack,  and  the  shell  followed  the  curve  of  the  shield  until 
it  was  traveling  in  exactly  the  opposite  direction  to  what  had  been 
its  former  course.  It  again  crossed  the  ship  to  the  starboard  side, 
where  it  struck  a  ventilator  and  stopped.  This  shell  was  the  cause  of 
wounding  two  officers  and  six  men  by  exploding  the  two  3-pounder  shells 
mentioned;  but  directly,  it  injured  no  one,  and  its  course  was  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  on  record. 

The  Boston  received  a  shell  in  her  port  quarter.  It  burst  in  Ensign 
Doddridge's  stateroom  and  caused  a  hot  fire,  as  did  also  one  that  burst 
in  the  port  hammock  netting;  but  both  these  fires  were  quickly  ex 
tinguished.  One  shell  passed  through  the  Boston's  foremast,  just  in 
front  of  Captain  Wildes  on  the  bridge.  The  entire  battle  was  a  series 
of  incidents  of  this  sort  and  the  wonder  is  that  they  were  no  more  than 
incidents. 

Scenes  on  Shipboard. 

Even  now,  when  the  Spaniards  had  brought  all  their  guns  into 
action,  the  Americans  had  not  yet  responded  with  all  their  strength. 
Commodore  Dewey  was  reserving  his  force.  The  men  naturally  chafed 
at  this  continued  restraint,  but  they  laughed  and  joked  good  naturedly 
among  themselves.  Sometimes,  when  a  shell  would  burst  close  aboard 
or  would  strike  the  water  and  pass  overhead,  with  the  peculiar  sputter 
ing  noise  characteristic  of  the  tumbling  of  a  rifled  projectile,  some  of 
the  more  nervous  would  dodge  mechanically. 

At  a  distance  of  4,000  yards,  owing  to  her  deep  draught,  the  Com 
modore  was  obliged  to  change  his  course  and  run  the  Olympia  parallel 
to  the  Spanish  column.  At  last,  as  she  brought  her  port  broadside 
toward  the  foe,  Commodore  Dewey  said : 


46  THE   BATTLE  OF  MANfLA  BAY. 

"Open  with  all  the  guns,"  and  the  roar  that  went  forth  shook  the 
vessel  from  end  to  end.  The  battle  was  indeed  on.  Above  the  snarling 
of  the  Olympiads  5-inch  rapid-firers  was  heard  the  prolonged  growl  of 
her  turret  8-inchers.  The  other  ships  joined  in,  and  Cavite  Harbor  was 
no  longer  comfortable  for  the  Spaniards. 

It  is  almost  impossible  to  describe  the  situation  at  this  moment. 
War  has  been  always  fearful,  but  the  confusion  and  horror  of  modern 
warfare  can  only  be  understood  by  an  eye  witness.  The  roar  of  the 
guns  of  to-day  and  the  horrors  resulting  from  their  powerful  shells  can 
best  be  left  to  the  imagination  of  those  who  have  not  actually  been  in 
battle  and  seen  the  effects  of  their  deadly  work.  And  even  to  those 
aboard  the  American  fleet  that  day,  the  fearful  event  was  not  known  to 
its  limit  till  later;  for  the  scenes  of  carnage  and  death  were  upon  the 
Spanish  side. 

A  Word  of  Praise  For  the  Spaniards. 

As  has  before  been  stated  the  disastrous  defeat  of  the  Spaniards  was 
not  owing  to  cowrardice  on  their  part.  Their  position  was  a  strong  one, 
owing  to  the  protection  of  the  shore  batteries  and  the  shallow  water 
that  guarded  them  from  the  danger  of  a  close  attack.  They  were  fight 
ing  gallantly,  and  the  fire  from  the  ships  sailing  back  and  forth  behind 
the  Castilla  was  hot. 

The  American  fleet  had  made  four  runs  along  the  Spanish  line,  when, 
finding  the  chart  incorrect,  Lieutenant  Calkins  told  the  Commodore  he 
believed  he  could  take  the  ship  nearer  the  enemy.  Carefully  watch 
ing  the  depth  of  the  water,  as  shown  by  the  lead,  the  Olympia  started 
over  the  course  for  the  fifth  time  and  ran  within  2,000  yards  of  the 
Spanish  vessels,  a  range  so  close  that  now  even  the  6-pounders  were 
effective.  A  storm  of  shells  poured  upon  the  Spaniards,  but,  as  far  as 
the  Americans  could  see,  they  had  not  yet  been  crippled  to  any  great 
extent.  Matters  were  not  particularly  cheerful  on  board  the  Olympia. 
Many  of  our  projectiles  had  seemed  to  go  too  high  or  too  low,  as  had 
those  of  the  Spaniards,  and  several  times  the  Admiral  had  expressed 
dissatisfaction.  He  now  gave  the  order  to  haul  off  into  the  open  bay, 
in  order  to  take  stock  of  ammunition,  which  was  in  danger  of  running 
short,  and  to  plan  a  new  attack.  It  would  never  have  done  to  admit  this 
state  of  affairs  to  the  men,  so  the  scheme  was  devised  of  making  break 
fast  the  cause  of  the  cessation  of  hostilities. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY.*  47 


Prefer  Fighting  to  Breakfast. 

The  interruption  was  not  welcomed  joyfully,  however.  As  the  ships 
drew  away,  the  temper  of  the  men  was  well  shown  by  the  almost  tearful 
appeal  of  one  gun  captain  to  Commander  Lamberton: 

"For  God's  sake,  Captain,"  he  cried,  "don't  stop  now !  Let's  finish  'em 
up  right  off. 

As  the  action  ceased  the  other  ships  passed  the  flagship  and  cheered 
lustily.  The  fight  had  now  lasted  about  two  hours  and  a  half,  when  for 
about  four  hours  hostilities  were  suspended  and  the  fleet  lay  inactive  in 
the  center  of  the  bay.  During  this  time  it  was  found  that  there  re 
mained  in  the  magazines  of  the  Olympia  only  85  rounds  of  5-inch  am 
munition,  and  that  the  stock  of  8-inch  charges  was  sufficiently  depleted 
to  make  another  two  hours'  fighting  impossible.  The  Baltimore  was 
discovered  to  have  the  best  supply,  so  when,  at  10:50  o'clock,  the  signal 
for  close  action  went  up  again,  she  was  given  the  place  of  honor  in  the 
lead,  the  Olympia  following  and  the  other  ships  as  before.  As  the 
Baltimore  began  firing  at  the  Spaniards  at  11:16  o'clock  she  made  a 
series  of  hits  as  if  at  target  practice. 

In  this  second  attack  the  Spaniards  replied  very  slowly,  chiefly  from 
their  shore  guns.  The  Americans  now  recognized  the  results  of  their 
morning's  work,  for  the  Spanish  flagship  and  the  Castilla  were  burning 
fiercely,  and  we  had  heard  the  explosion  of  the  magazines  on  board  the 
Reina  Cristina.  For  some  reason  the  Castilla  did  not  blow  up,  although 
she  burned  fiercely  as  late  as  Monday  night.  This  was  undoubtedly  due 
to  the  fact  that  her  magazines  had  been  flooded  before  she  was  aban 
doned  by  her  crew.  Commodore  Dewey  now  signalled  the  Raleigh,  the 
Boston,  the  Concord  and  the  Petrel  to  go  into  the  inner  harbor  and 
destroy  all  the  enemy's  ships. 

Notable  Work  of  the  Petrel. 

The  work  of  the  little  Petrel,  Commander  E.  P.  Wood,  commanding, 
is  worthy  of  special  mention.  Her  draught  was  so  light  that  she  was 
able  to  approach  within  1,000  yards.  From  this  close  range  she  com* 
manded  everything  flying  the  Spanish  flag  and  fired  with  the  greatest 
accuracy.  Lieutenant  E.  M.  Hughes,  with  an  armed  boat's  crew,  set  fire 


48  THE   BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY. 

to  the  Don  Juan  de  Austria,  the  Marques  del  Duero  and  the  Isla  de 
Cuba.  The  large  transport  Manila  and  many  tug  boats  and  small  craft 
were  also  captured.  The  other  ships  did  their  duty  as  well,  and  soon 
not  a  red  and  yellow  ensign  remained  aloft,  except  one  fluttering  from  a 
battery  far  up  the  coast.  The  Don  Antonio  de  Ulloa  was  the  last  ves 
sel  to  be  abandoned.  She  at  last  lurched  over  and  sank.  The  Spanish 
flag  on  the  arsenal  was  hauled  down  at  12:30,  the  white  flag  was  hoisted 
in  its  place,  and  the  power  of  the  Spanish  Dons  in  the  Philippines  was 
at  an  end. 

Commodore  Dewey  closed  the  day  by  anchoring  off  the  City  ol 
Manila,  and  sending  word  to  the  Governor-General  that  the  port  was 
blockaded  and  that  if  a  shot  was  fired  at  the  American  fleet  from 
Manila,  the  city  would  be  laid  in  ashes.  He  also  sent  word  that  he 
wished  to  use  the  cable  to  Hong  Kong,  but  no  reply  to  this  demand  was 
ever  received. 

The  Commodore  had  been  ordered  to  capture  or  destroy  the  Spanish 
squadron,  and  instructions  were  never  more  effectively  carried  out. 
Within  seven  hours  after  arriving  on  the  scene  of  action  nothing  re 
mained  to  be  done. 

Humorous  Incidents  of  the  Battle. 

Some  of  the  incidents  that  came  under  my  notice  before  and  after  tn^ 
battle  had  features  of  humor  as  well  as  of  interest. 

One  man  named  Purdy,  a  privileged  character,  because  he  had 
served  in  the  navy  forty  or  fifty  years,  was  noticed  by  Commodore 
Dewey  on  Saturday  to  be  making  a  pretense  of  finding  something  to  do 
on  the  port  side  of  the  upper  deck,  where  his  duties  did  not  call  him. 

As  the  Commodore  was  familiar  with  the  ways  of  old  seamen,  he 
saw  that  Purdy  had  something  on  his  mind,  and  said: 

"Well,  Purdy,  what  is  it?" 

"I  hope,  sir,"  said  Purdy,  saluting,  "that  ye  don't  intend  to  fight  on 
the  3d  of  May  " 

"And  why  not?"  asked  the  Commodore. 

"Ye  see,  sir,"  said  the  old  man,  seriously,  "I  got  licked  the  last  rime 
I  fought  on  the  3d  of  May." 

Purdy  had  gone  to  defeat  at  Chancellorsville  under  "Fighting  Joe" 
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THE   BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY.  55 

"All  right,  Purdy,"  said  the  Commodore,  "we  won't  fight  on  the  3d ; 
but  when  we  do  fight,  you'll  have  another  kind  of  May  anniversary  to 
think  about;  remember  that,  my  man." 

The  Commodore  knew  positively  when  his  attack  would  be  made; 
for  he  had  resolved  to  allow  nothing  to  delay  him.  He  knew  the  exact 
distance  to  Manila  and  the  speed  his  squadron  would  make;  hence,  on 
the  afternoon  of  our  sailing  from  Mirs  Bay,  he  told  me  that  the  battle 
would  take  place  on  Sunday,  May  1st 

How  the  Admiral  Appointed  His  Aide 

•9 

As  a  non-combatant,  I  felt  that  I  had  a  right  to  no  privileges  except 
those  granted  me  by  the  Admiral.  On  Saturday  I  asked  him  if  I  might 
be  allowed  a  position  on  the  forward  bridge,  if  a  battle  should  be 
fought. 

He  answered:  "I  think  you'll  be  satisfied."  After  the  council  of 
war,  when  the  officers  had  returned  to  their  respective  ships,  he  sent 
for  me  to  come  to  the  quarter  deck,  and  said:  "Mr.  Stickney,  Mr. 
Caldwell  [his  naval  secretary]  has  volunteered  for  duty  at  the  guns,  and 
I  have  decided  to  appoint  you  my  aide.  You  will  take  station  with  me 
on  the  forward  bridge."  He  paused  and  then  added  with  a  quizzical 
twinkle  in  his  eye:  "Satisfied?" 

During  the  first  hour  of  the  fight,  as  I  stood  near  him  on  the  bridge, 
I  saw  a  torpedo  boat  come  creeping  out  from  behind  Sangley  Point  and 
called  his  attention  to  her. 

"You  look  after  her,"  he  answered;  "I  have  no  time  to  bother  with 
torpedo  boats.  Let  me  know  when  you've  finished  her." 

Her  commander  must  have  been  ignorant  of  modern  guns  or  utterly 
indifferent  to  death,  for  not  till  twice  hit  by  the  secondary  battery,  did 
this  daring  craft  turn  back  and  reach  the  beach  just  in  time  to  save  her 
crew  from  drowning. 

In  a  case  where  every  vessel  was  as  efficient  as  were  the  American 
ships  during  the  battle  of  Manila,  it  is  difficult  to  draw  distinctions, 
but  when  they  passed  each  other  close  aboard,  after  the  action,  the 
heartiest  cheers,  after  those  for  the  Commodore,  were  those  given  for 
the  little  Petrel 


54  THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY. 

Casualties  of  the  Battle. 

The  only  Americans  wounded  were  on  board  the  Baltimore — eight  in 
number,  all  slightly,  except  two  men,  each  of  whom  had  a  leg  broken. 
As  each  captain  reported  on  the  flagship,  he  was  eagerly  asked :  "How 
many  killed?"  And  while  each  man  could  not  conceal  his  satisfaction 
at  the  condition  of  his  ship  and  crew,  he  was  also  desirous  that  this 
should  be  understood  to  be  no  proof  that  he  had  not  been  in  danger.  It 
was  feared  that  some  casualties  might  have  taken  place  on  the  Boston, 
as  she  had  been  on  fire,  but  her  report  was  equally  satisfactory,  and  the 
men  on  the  Olympia  cheered  loudly. 

Nevertheless,  there  was  great  suffering  among  our  men  during  the 
fight,  owing  to  the  terrific  heat,  and  some  of  those  shut  up  below  would 
undoubtedly  have  succumbed  had  it  not  been  for  the  excitement  of 
battle. 

In  the  arsenal  grounds  a  number  of  bodies  of  Spaniards  were  found 
unburied  on  Monday  morning.  A  Roman  Catholic  priest  was  called  in 
to  read  the  burial  service.  The  bodies  presented  a  horrible  sight.  The 
head  of  one  had  been  almost  wholly  carried  away  by  a  shell.  Another 
had  been  struck  in  the  stomach  by  a  large  projectile  which  had  cut 
everything  away  to  the  backbone.  One  very  large  man,  apparently  an 
officer,  was  not  only  mangled  but  swollen  out  of  all  proportion  to  his 
real  size.  To  add  to  the  horror  several  lean,  wolf-like  dogs  had  already 
visited  the  scene. 

The  victory  in  Manila  Bay  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  in  the 
history  of  the  world.  Not  an  American  was  killed,  and  at  night,  after 
the  battle,  every  American  ship  was  fit  to  go  into  a  similar  action  on 
the  succeeding  day.  The  result  was  almost  incomprehensible,  but  it  is 
probably  what  may  be  expected  in  all  the  affairs  of  life,  where  coolness 
and  wisdom  hold  the  balance  against  bravado  and  inefficiency. 

Admiral  Dewey's  Official  Report. 

The  following  is  the  account  of  the  battle  of  Manila  sent  by  Admiral 
Dewey  to  the  navy  department  at  Washington.  It  was  not  made  public 

until  June  14th  • 

"Flagship  Olympia,  Cavite,  May  4,  1898. 

"The  squadron  left  Mirs  Bay  on  April  27th.  Arrived  off  Bolinao  on 
the  morning  of  April  30th,  and,  finding  no  vessels  there,  proceeded  down 


THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY.  55 

the  coast  and  arrived  off  the  entrance  to  Manila  Bay  on  the  same  after 
noon.  The  Boston  and  Concord  were  sent  to  reconnoitre  Port  Subig. 
A  thorough  search  of  the  port  was  made  by  the  Boston  and  the  Con 
cord,  but  the  Spanish  fleet  was  not  found. 

"Elitered  the  south  channel  at  half-past  eleven  p.  m.,  steaming  in 
column  at  eight  knots.  After  half  the  squadron  had  passed,  a  battery 
on  the  south  side  of  the  channel  opened  fire,  none  of  the  shots  taking 
effect.  The  Boston  and  the  Concord  returned  the  fire.  The  squadron 
proceeded  across  the  bay  at  slow  speed,  arrived  off  Manila  at  daybreak, 
and  was  fired  upon  at  a  quarter  past  five  a.  m.  by  three  batteries  at 
Manila  and  two  near  Cavite,  also  by  the  Spanish  fleet  anchored  in  an 
approximately  east  and  west  line  across  the  mouth  of  Bakor  Bay,  with 
their  left  in  shoal  water  in  Caiiacao  Bay. 

"The  squadron  then  proceeded  to  the  attack,  the  flagship  Olympia, 
under  my  personal  direction,  leading,  followed  at  a  distance  by  the 
Baltimore,  the  Raleigh,  the  Petrel,  the  Concord  and  the  Boston,  in  the 
order  named,  which  formation  was  maintained  throughout  the  action. 
The  squadron  opened  fire  at  nineteen  minutes  of  six  a.  m.  While  ad 
vancing  to  the  attack  two  mines  exploded  ahead  of  the  flagship  too  far 
to  be  effective. 

"The  squadron  maintained  a  continuous  and  precise  fire,  at  ranges 
varying  from  5,000  to  2,000  yards  approximately  parallel  to  that  of  the 
Spanish  fleet.  The  enemy's  fire  was  vigorous  but  generally  ineffective. 

"Early  in  the  engagement,  two  launches  put  out  toward  the  Olympia 
with  the  apparent  intention  of  using  torpedoes.  One  was  sunk  and  the 
other  disabled  by  our  fire  and  beached  before  an  opportunity  occurred 
to  fire  torpedoes. 

Driving  the  Reina  Cristina  Back. 

"At  seven  a.  m.  the  Spanish  flagship,  Reina  Cristina,  made  a  des 
perate  attempt  to  leave  the  line  and  come  out  to  engage  at  short  range, 
but  was  received  with  such  galling  fire,  the  entire  battery  of  the 
Olympia  being  concentrated  upon  her,  that  she  was  barely  able  to  return 
to  the  shelter  of  the  point.  Fires  started  in  her  by  our  shells  at  this 
time  were  not  extinguished  until  she  sank. 

"The  three  batteries  at  Manila  had  kept  up  a  continuous  fire  from  the 
beginning  of  the  engagement,  which  fire  was  not  returned  by  this 


56  THE   BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY. 

squadron.  The  first  of  these  batteries  was  situated  on  the  south  mole 
head,  at  the  entrance  to  the  Pasig  River;  the  second,  on  the  south 
bastion  of  the  walled  city  of  Manila,  and  the  third  at  Malate,  about  one- 
half  rnile  further  south. 

"At  this  point  I  sent  a  message  to  the  Governor-General  to  the  effect 
that  if  the  batteries  did  not  cease  firing  the  city  would  be  shelled.  This 
had  the  effect  of  silencing  them. 

"At  twenty-five  minutes  to  eight  a,  m.  I  ceased  firing  and  withdrew 
the  squadron  for  breakfast.  At  sixteen  minutes  past  eleven  a.  m.  re 
turned  to  the  attack.  By  this  time,  the  Spanish  flagship  and  almost  the 
entire  Spanish  fleet  were  in  flames. 

"At  half-past  twelve  p.  m.  the  squadron  ceased  firing,  the  batteries 
being  silenced  and  the  ships  sunk,  burnt  and  deserted.  At  twenty  min 
utes  to  one  p.  m.  the  squadron  returned  and  anchored  off  Manila,  the 
Petrel  being  left  behind  to  complete  the  destruction  of  the  smaller  gun 
boats,  which  were  behind  the  point  of  Cavite.  This  duty  was  per 
formed  by  Commander  E.  P.  Wood  in  the  most  expeditious  and  com 
plete  manner  possible. 

Vessels  Lost  by  the  Enemy. 

"The  Spanish  lost  the  following  vessels:  Sunk,  Reina  Cristina,  Cas- 
tilla,  Don  Antonio  de  Ulloa.  Burnt,  Don  Juan  de  Austria,  Isla  de 
Luzon,  Isla  de  Cuba,  General  Lezo,  Marques  del  Duero,  El  Correo, 
Velasco  and  Isla  de  Mindanao  (transport).  Captured,  Rapido  and  Her 
cules  (tugs)  and  several  small  launches. 

"I  am  unable  to  obtain  complete  accounts  of  the  enemy's  killed  and 
wounded,  but  believe  their  losses  to  be  very  heavy.  The  Reina  Cristina 
alone  had  150  killed — including  the  captain — and  ninety  wounded. 

"I  am  happy  to  report  that  the  damage  done  to  the  squadron  under 
my  command  was  inconsiderable.  There  were  none  killed,  and  only 
seven  men  in  the  squadron  very  slightly  wounded. 

"Several  of  the  vessels  were  struck,  and  even  penetrated,  but  the 
damage  was  of  the  slightest,  and  the  squadron  is  in  as  good  condition 
now  as  before  the  battle. 

"I  beg  to  state  to  the  department  that  I  doubt  if  any  commander- 
in-chief  was  ever  served  by  more  loyal,  efficient  and  gallant  captains 
than  those  of  the  squadron  now  under  my  command. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY.  67 

"Captain  Frank  Wildes,  commanding  the  Boston,  volunteered  to  re 
main  in  command  of  his  vessel,  although  his  relief  arrived  before  leaving 
Hong  Kong.  Assistant  Surgeon  Kindleberger,  of  the  Olympia,  and 
Gunner  J.  C.  Evans,  of  the  Boston,  also  volunteered  to  remain  after 
orders  detaching  them  had  arrived. 

The  Commodore's  Staff. 

"The  conduct  of  my  personal  staff  was  excellent.  Commander  B.  P. 
Lamberton,  chief  of  staff,  was  a  volunteer  for  that  position,  and  gave 
me  most  excellent  assistance,  and  Lieutenant  Brumby,  flag  lieutenant, 
and  Ensign  W.  P.  Scott,  aide,  performed  their  duties  as  signal  officers  in 
a  highly  creditable  manner. 

"The  Olympia  being  short  of  officers  for  the  battery,  Ensign  H.  H. 
Caldwell,  flag  secretary,  volunteered  for  and  was  assigned  to  a  sub 
division  of  the  5-inch  battery. 

"Mr.  J.  L.  Stickney,  formerly  an  officer  in  the  United  States  navy,  and 
now  correspondent  for  the  New  York  Herald,  volunteered  for  duty  as  my 
aide  and  rendered  valuable  services. 

"I  desire  specially  to  mention  the  coolness  of  Lieutenant  C.  G. 
Calkins,  the  navigator  of  the  Olympia,  who  came  under  my  personal 
observation,  being  on  the  bridge  with  me  throughout  the  entire  action, 
and  giving  the  ranges  to  the  guns  with  an  accuracy  that  was  proven  by 
the  excellency  of  the  firing. 

"On  May  2,  the  day  following  the  engagement,  the  squadron  again 
went  to  Cavite,  where  it  remains. 

"On  the  3d  the  military  forces  evacuated  the  Cavite  arsenal,  vrhich 
was  taken  possession  of  by  a  landing  party.  On  the  same  day  the  Ra 
leigh  and  Baltimore  secured  the  surrender  of  the  batteries  on  Corregidor 
Island,  paroling  the  garrison  and  destroying  the  guns.  On  the  morning 
of  May  4  the  transport  Manila,  which  had  been  aground  in  Bakor  Bay, 
was  towed  off  and  made  a  prize." 

Captain  Gridley's  Account  of  the  Battle. 

; 

Below  is  a  short  account  of  the  Battle  of  Manila,  given  by  Captain 
Gridley  of  the  flagship  Olympia,  who  bore  a  conspicuous  part  in  the 
battle,  and  died  about  a  month  afterward. 


58  THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY. 

"My  Dear  Mother: 

"Excuse  pencil,  but  I  am  writing  on  the  deck  aft,  under  the  awning, 
and  ink  is  not  handy.  Well,  we  have  won  a  splendid  victory  over  the 
Spaniards.  We  left  Hong  Kong  on  April  25,  Mirs  Bay,  April  27,  and 
arrived  off  Manila  Bay  at  midnight  on  April  30.  We  steamed  in  with 
our  lights  all  out,  and  by  daylight  we  were  off  Manila,  where  we  found 
the  Spanish  fleet,  or  rather,  at  Cavite,  seven  miles  from  Manila.  We 
attacked  them  at  once,  the  Olympia  leading,  and,  being  flagship,  she  was 
of  course  the  principal  target,  but  we  (our  fleet)  were  too  much  for  them, 
and  after  fighting  two  and  a  half  hours,  hauled  off  for  breakfast, 
giving  them  another  hour  of  it  afterward.  We  succeeded  in  burning, 
sinking  and  destroying  their  entire  force.  They  were  also  assisted  by 
shore  batteries.  Their  loss  was  very  heavy,  one  ship,  the  Oastilla, 
losing  130  killed,  including  the  captain. 

"And  now  as  to  ourselves.  We  did  not  lose  a  man  in  our  whole 
fleet,  and  had  only  six  wounded,  and  none  of  them  seriously.  It  seems 
a  miracle.  Everybody  fought  like  heroes,  as  they  are.  The  Olympia 
was  struck  seven  or  eight  times,  but  only  slightly  injured,  hardly  worth 
speaking  of. 

"Stickney,  New  York  Herald  correspondent,  and  a  former  naval 
officer,  was  on  board  by  permission  of  the  department  and  acted  during 
the  battle  as  Dewey's  secretary.  His  account  in  the  Herald  will  be  full 
and  complete,  so  you  had  better  get  it.  His  reports  will  go  in  the  same 
mail  as  this. 

"We  have  cut  the  cable  and  can  only  communicate  via  Hong  Kong. 
The  McCulloch  will  go  over  in  a  day  or  two,  carrying  Commodore 
Dewey's  dispatches  and  this  mail  and  bringing  our  mail  I  hope.  I 
am  truly  thankful  to  our  Heavenly  Father  for  His  protection  during  our 
battle,  and  shall  give  Him  daily  thanks.  Manila,  of  course,  we  have 
blockaded.  We  can't  take  the  city,  as  we  have  no  troops  to  hold  it. 

"Give  my  love  to  all  and  accept  a  large  share  for  yourself. 

"Your  loving  son, 

"CHARLEY." 

Captain  Gridley  did  not  mention  his  own  part  in  the  great  battle,  an 
indication  of  modesty  characteristic  of  this  brave  officer  and  most 
lovable  man 


THE   BATTLE  OF,  MANILA  BAY.  59 


From  the  Spanish  Point  of  View. 

The  following  is  the  story  of  the  Battle  of  Manila  from  the  Spanish 
standpoint.  It  was  published  in  the  Diario  de  Manila,  the  leading  news 
paper  of  the  city,  on  May  4,  the  first  time  it  was  issued  after  the  de 
struction  of  the  Spanish  fleet: 

"When  the  enemy's  squadron  was  sighted  in  perfect  line  of  battle 
through  the  clouds  of  the  misty  dawn  on  the  morning  of  May  1,  gloom 
and  surprise  were  general  among  the  people  of  Manila. 

"At  last  these  ships  had  strained  their  boldness  to  the  point  of  ap 
pearing  on  our  coasts  and  defying  our  batteries,  which  showed  more 
courage  and  valor  than  effect  when  they  opened  fire  upon  the  squadron. 

"It  needs  something  more  than  courage  to  make  projectiles  pene 
trate,  indeed  it  does.  The  inequality  of  our  batteries,  compared  with 
those  of  the  American  squadron  which  alarmed  the  inhabitants  of 
Manila  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  was  enough  to  transform  the  tran 
quil  character  of  our  tropical  temperament. 

"While  ladies  and  children  in  carriages  or  on  foot  fled  in  fright  to 
seek  refuge  in  the  outlying  suburbs  and  adjacent  villages  around  the 
capital  from  the  dangers  multiplied  by  their  imaginations,  every  man, 
from  the  most  stately  personage  to  the  most  humble  workman,  mer 
chants,  mechanics,  Spaniards,  natives,  soldiers,  civilians,  all,  we  repeat, 
sought  their  stations  and  put  on  their  arms,  confident  that  never  should 
the  enemy  land  at  Manila  unless  he  passed  over  their  corpses. 

Superior  Strength  of  Americans. 

"Although  from  the  first  moment  the  strength  of  the  enemy's  armor 
and  the  power  of  his  guns  demonstrated  that  his  ships  were  invulner 
able  to  our  energies  and  our  armaments,  the  hostile  squadron  would 
never  have  entered  our  bay  had  not  its  safety  been  guaranteed  by  its 
manifest  superiority. 

"The  city  walls,  the  church  towers,  the  tops  of  the  high  buildings  and 
all  the  high  places  convenient  for  observation,  were  occupied  by  those 
who  were  not  retained  by  their  military  duties  within  the  walls,  on  the 
bridges  or  at  the  advanced  posts. 


60  THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAT. 

"The  slightest  details  of  the  enemy's  ships  were  eagerly  noted  as  they 
advanced  toward  Cavite,  in  a  line  parallel  with  the  beaches  of  Manila, 
as  though  they  had  just  come  out  of  Pasig  River. 

"There  were  no  gaps  in  the  line,  but  the  curious  public  hardly  realized 
the  disparity  between  their  great  guns  and  the  pieces  mounted  on  our 
fortifications.  Some  had  glasses  and  others  were  without,  but  all 
seemed  to  discern  with  their  eyes  these  strangers,  who,  while  brave,  were 
not  called  upon  to  show  their  courage,  since  the  range  of  their  guns  and 
the  weakness  of  our  batteries  enabled  them  to  preserve  immunity  while 
doing  us  as  much  harm  as  they  pleased. 

"All  who  appreciated  the  impunity  with  which  the  hostile  ships  man- 
oeuvered,  as  if  on  a  harmless  parade,  were  full  of  such  rage  and  desper 
ation  as  belong  to  a  brave  man  who  can  make  no  use  of  his  courage 
and  to  whom  there  remains  no  remedy  except  an  honorable  death  rather 
than  cowardly  inactivity. 

Wishing  for  a  Fight  Ashore. 

"A  soldier  of  the  first  battalion  of  Cazadores  gazed  at  the  squadron 
sweeping  over  the  waters  out  of  reach  of  th^  fire  of  our  batteries  and 
then  turned  toward  Heaven  saying:  'If  the  lloly  Mary  would  turn  that 
sea  into  land  the  Yankees  would  find  out  how  we  can  charge  in  double 
time.'  And  a  crouching  native,  staring  at  the  ships,  said:  'Just  let 
them  come  ashore  and  give  us  a  whack  at  them.' 

"On  they  stood  at  full  speed,  in  column  of  battle,  heading  for 
Cavite,  with  a  decision  due  to  a  sense  of  safety  and  a  firm  assurance  of 
success.  For  more  than  an  hour  and  a  half  the  bombardment  held  in 
suspense  those  whose  souls  followed  the  unequal  struggle  in  which  a 
Spanish  ship  went  down  with  glorious  banners  flying. 

"What  was  going  on  in  the  waters  of  Cavite?  From  Manila  we  saw 
through  glasses  two  squadrons  almost  mingled  in  clouds  of  smoke. 
This  was  not  a  triumph  for  our  side,  considering  the  weakness  of  our 
batteries,  for  once  alongside  the  enemy  the  cry  of  'boarders  away'  and 
the  flash  of  cold  steel  might  have  enabled  our  devoted  seamen  to  disturb 
the  calmness  in  which  the  watches  and  instruments  were  regulating  and 
directing  those  engines  of  destruction. 

"In  the  blindness  of  our  rage  how  can  we  paint  the  heroic  deeds  of 
prowess  or  the  wave  of  valor  which  burst  forth  from  the  men  of  \var? 


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THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY.  6& 

Those  who  fought  beneath  the  Spanish  flag  bore  themselves  like  men, 
as  the  chosen  sons  of  our  native  land  who  dare  measure  forces  and  not 
yield  to  a  superior  force  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  wTho  rather  die  with 
out  ships  than  live  in  ships  which  have  surrendered. 

"To  name  those  who  distinguished  themselves  in  the  battle  would 
require  the  publication  of  the  entire  muster  rolls  of  our  ships  from 
captain  to  cabin  boy.  To  these  victorious  seamen  of  ours  we  offer  our 
congratulations;  laurels  for  the  living  and  prayers  for  the  dead,  and  for 
all  our  deepest  gratitude. 

Enthusiastic  Spectators. 

"When  the  hostile  squadron  turned  toward  Cavite  the  crew  of  the 
steamer  Mindanao  heard  drums  beating  to  quarters  and  answered  with 
enthusiasm  with  three  rounds  of  cheers  for  the  King,  for  the  Queen 
Regent,  and  for  Spain,  which  was  echoed  along  our  line. 

"Later  and  until  a  quarter  to  five  o'clock  absolute  silence  reigned. 
Everything  was  ready.  The  idea  of  death  was  lost  in  the  ardor  for  the 
fray,  and  every  eye  was  fixed  on  the  battle  flags  waving  at  our  mast 
heads  in  perfect  and  majestic  order.  Why -should  we  deny  this? 

"The  nine  Yankee  ships  advanced  in  battle  array.  The  Olympia, 
bearing  the  Admiral's  flag,  led  the  column,  followed  by  the  other  ships, 
steering  at  full  speed  toward  Cavite. 

"The  Olympia  opened  fire,  and  an  instant  reply  came  from  the  bat 
tery  on  the  mole,  Avhich  kept  on  firing  at  five-minute  intervals,  while  the 
ironclad  shaped  her  course  for  the  Cristina  and  the  Castilla.  Into 
both  of  these  she  poured  a  steady  and  rapid  fire,  seconded  by  the  ships 
which  followed  in  her  wake. 

"Another  ship  which  directed  a  heavy  fire  on  our  line  was  the  Balti 
more,  and  so  the  cannonade  went  on  until  a  quarter  to  eight. 

"At  that  moment  the  Juan  de  Austria  advanced  against  the  enemy 
intending  to  board  the  Olympia,  and  if  a  tremendous  broadside  had  not 
stopped  her  self-devoted  charge  both  ships  might  perhaps  have  sunk  to 
the  bottom. 

"The  captain  of  the  Cristina,  seeing  that  the  resolute  attempt  of  his 
consort  had  failed,  advanced  at  full  speed  until  within  about  two  hun 
dred  yards  of  the  Olympia,  aiming  to  ram  her. 


64  THE   BATTLE  OF  MANILA   BAY. 

Did  Not  Like  Our  Shells. 

"Then  a  shower  of  projectiles  swept  over  the  bridge  and  decks,  filling 
the  ship  with  dead  and  wounded.  A  dense  column  of  smoke  from  the 
bow  compartment  showed  that  incendiary  projectiles,  such  as  the  law  of 
God  and  man  prohibits,  had  set  fire  to  the  cruiser. 

"The  ship,  still  keeping  up  her  fire  on  the  enemy,  withdrew  toward 
the  arsenal,  where  she  was  sunk  to  keep  her  from  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  Yankees.  The  desperation  of  the  men  of  the  Cristina  was 
aggravated  by  the  sight  of  the  Castilla,  which  was  also  in  a  blaze  from 
the  similar  use  of  incendiary  projectiles. 

"The  principal  ships  of  our  little  squadron  having  thus  been  put 
out  of  action,  the  Yankee  vessels,  some  of  them  badly  crippled  by  the 
fire  of  our  ships  and  the  batteries  of  Point  Sangley,  stood  out  toward  the 
entrance  of  the  bay,  ceasing  their  fire  and  occupying  themselves  with  re 
pairing  their  injuries  until  ten  o'clock,  when  they  began  a  second  attack 
to  complete  their  wrork  of  destruction. 

"In  this  second  assault  the  fire  at  the  arsenal  was  extinguished,  and 
they  continued  to  cannonade  the  blazing  gunboats.  One  gunboat, 
which  seemed  to  have  nothing  more  venturesome  to  undertake,  detached 
herself  from  the  squadron  and  set  herself  to  riddle  the  mail  steamer 
Mindanao. 

"Now  that  his  ships  were  in  flames  Admiral  Montojo,  who  had  shown 
his  flag  as  long  as  there  was  a  vessel  afloat,  landed,  and  the  hostilities 
ceased. 

"The  only  Spanish  ship  which  had  not  been  destroyed  by  fire  or  by 
the  enemy's  projectiles  sank  herself  so  that  she  could  in  no  wise  be 
taken. 

"The  killed  are:  The  captain,  chaplain,  clerk  and  boatswain  of  the 
Cristina,  the  captains  of  the  Castilla  and  the  Ulloa,  the  executive  officer 
and  chief  engineer  and  second  surgeon  of  the  Cristina,  a  lieutenant  of 
the  Juan  de  Austria,  the  paymaster  of  the  Ulloa  and  the  chief  engineer 
of  the  Juan  de  Austria. 

"That  battery  that  did  most  harm  to  the  enemy  was  one  on 
Sangley  Point,  made  up  of  Hontoria  guns.  From  one  of  these  came  a 
shot  which  the  Boston  received,  while  four  ships,  which  had  altogether 
sixty-five  guns,  were  pouring  their  fire  on  this  battery  to  reduce  it  to 
silence. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY.  65 

Praise  for  Spanish  Gunners. 

"One  gun  having  been  crippled,  the  other  kept  on  playing,  firing 
whenever  damage  could  be  done  and  avoiding  waste  of  ammunition.  To 
one  of  its  shots  must  be  attributed  the  hurt  which  turned  the  Baltimore 
from  the  fight.  This  gun  must  have  greatly  annoyed  the  Yankees,  to 
judge  by  the  efforts  they  made  to  silence  its  fire,  following  it  up  till  six 
gunners  had  been  killed  and  four  wounded. 

"On  this  account  it  is  proposed  to  demand  the  bestowal  of  laurel 
wreathed  crosses  of  San  Fernando  on  the  valiant  gunners  who  served 
this  battery. 

"The  Luneta  battery  at  Manila,  which  assailed  the  Yankee  ships  with 
much  vigor,  was  the  object  of  the  enemy's  special  attention,  as  he  stood 
past  the  fortifications  of  Manila,  heading  for  Cavite.  Guns  were  also 
mounted  at  the  entrance  to  the  bay,  on  Corregidor  and  Caballo  Islands, 
on  El  Fraile  Rock,  on  the  south  shore  at  Point  Restigua,  and  at  Mari- 
veles,  Punta  Gorda  and  Point  Gasisi,  on  the  north  shore. 

"The  guns  on  Corregidor  Island  were  about  six  inches  in  caliber,  sim 
ilar  to  the  guns  mounted  on  the  rock  and  on  Point  Restigua.  Other 
batteries  had  guns  of  smaller  caliber  and  of  short  range. 

"Doubtless  the  civil  commission  arranged  to  obtain  supplies  for 
the  city,  but  it  is  certain  that  since  Sunday  there  has  been  a  great 
scarcity  of  everything,  and  speculators  have  got  what  prices  they  cared 
to  ask  for  articles  of  prime  necessity. 

"The  great  masses  of  the  rural  population  of  the  Philippines,  as  well 
as  the  leaders  of  the  nation,  have  responded  like  loyal  sons  of  Spain, 
sharing  our  pains  and  assisting  our  labors. 

"Admiral  Montojo  has  received  a  telegram  of  congratulation  from 
the  Minister  of  Marine,  who  in  his  own  name,  and  in  the  name  of  the 
Queen  Regent  of  Spain,  felicitates  the  navy  of  this  archipelago  for  its 
gallant  behavior  on  the  day  of  the  Cavite  battle  in  these  terms:  'Honor 
and  glory  to  the  Spanish  fleet  which  fought  so  heroically  on  that  day!' " 


CHAPTER  III. 
AFTER   THE   BATTLE. 

Receiving  the  Surrender  of  Cavite  Arsenal — Quibbles  and  Evasions  to  Meet — 
A  Case  for  Haste — Journey  to  Hong  Kong  to  Send  Dispatches — Cap 
ture  of  the  Callao — Routine  of  Blockade  Duty  in  Manila  Bay — Arrival 
of  Aguinaldo  from  Hong  Kong — Establishing  a  Government  at  Cavite 
— Three  Important  Proclamations — Filipino  Victories  over  the  Spanish 
— Their  Treatment  of  Spanish  Prisoners — Insurgents  Invest  Manila. 

Early  on  the  morning  after  the  battle  Commodore  Dewey  ordered 
Commander  Lamberton  and  myself  to  go  to  Cavite  arsenal  and  take  pos 
session.  As  the  white  flag  had  been  hoisted  the  day  before,  in  token 
of  complete  surrender,  this  should  have  been  a  mere  formality;  but  it 
was  soon  proved  to  us  that  no  dependence  can  be  placed  in  the  Spaniard. 
Aware  of  the  treacherous  character  of  the  Spanish  people,  Commander 
Lamberton,  before  leaving  the  Petrel,  which  had  brought  us  over  from 
the  Olympia,  ordered  Commander  Wood  to  keep  his  men  at  the  guns, 
and  to  open  fire  upon  the  arsenal  if  we  should  not  return  within  an  hour. 
It  was  then  exactly  nine  o'clock.  When  we  had  approached  within  five 
hundred  yards  we  discovered  that  the  arsenal  was  still  occupied  by 
about  eight  hundred  Spanish  infanteria  de  marina  (corresponding  to  our 
marines),  all  armed  with  Mauser  magazine  rifles. 

Admiral  Montojo,  having  been  wounded,  had  been  carried  to  Manila, 
and  Captain  Sostoa  of  the  Spanish  navy,  next  in  rank  to  the  Ad 
miral,  was  in  command.  This  gentleman  met  us  at  the  wharf  and  took 
us  to  the  arsenal  headquarters^  together  with  Lieutenant  A.  N.  Wood, 
of  the  Petrel,  who  had  accompanied  us.  We  had  no  sooner  reached  the 
place,  than  it  was  surrounded  by  an  armed  guard. 

Dealing  with  Spanish  Officers. 

"Why,"  asked  Captain  Lamberton,  "do  we  find  the  arsenal  filled  with 
armed  men,  when  the  white  flag  was  run  up  yesterday,  in  token  of  com 
plete  surrender?" 

66 


AFTER  THE   BATTLE.  67 

'  With  much  suavity  and  the  manner  of  a  man  whose  actions  have 
been  completely  misunderstood,  Captain  Sostoa  replied  in  Spanish: 

"We  hoisted  the  white  flag  yesterday  only  that  we  might  have  time 
to  remove  the  women  and  children  to  a  place  of  safety." 

Commander  Lamberton  answered:  "That  is  not  the  construction 
we  Americans  put  upon  an  action  of  that  kind.  When  the  Spanish 
colors  were  lowered,  and  the  white  flag  raised  in  their  place,  we  under 
stood  it  to  mean  but  one  thing — unconditional  surrender.  Moreover, 
the  women  and  children  should  not  have  been  here  anyhow.  They 
should  have  been  removed  to  a  place  of  safety  before  the  fight  began." 

"But,"  replied  Captain  Sostoa,  "we  did  not  have  time  to  do  that. 
If  the  Americans  had  not  come  so  early  in  the  morning  affairs  could 
have  been  arranged  differently." 

Commander  Lamberton  reminded  him  that  the  Spaniards  had  fired 
the  first  shot. 

"However,"  he  continued,  "we  are  not  here  to  waste  time  in  discuss 
ing  past  events.  I  come  as  Admiral  Dewey's  representative,  to  take 
possession  of  the  arsenal.  The  Spaniards  here  must  surrender  as 
prisoners  of  war,  or  our  ships  will  again  open  fire." 

"But  I  am  not  at  liberty  to  submit  to  these  terms,"  said  Captain 
Sostoa.  "Such  an  act  is  not  in  my  power,  and  I  must  consult  my 
superior  officers  before  I  take  so  important  a  step." 

Commander  Lamberton,  comprehending  the  subterfuge,  answered: 
;rWe  refuse  to  recognize  any  authority  other  than  that  of  the  senior 
officer  stationed  at  this  post.  You  are  that  man  and  must  immediately 
comply  with  Admiral  Dew^ey's  conditions." 

The   Conditions  of  Surrender. 

Seeing  that  further  delay  was  useless,  Captain  Sostoa  requested  that 
the  terms  of  surrender  might  be  put  down  in  writing.  Accordingly  I 
wrote  the  following: 

"Without  further  delay  all  Spanish  officers  and  men  must  be  with 
drawn  and  no  buildings  nor  stores  must  be  injured.  Admiral  Dewey 
does  not  wish  to  continue  hostilities  with  the  Spanish  naval  forces. 
The  Spanish  officers  will  be  paroled,  and  the  forces  at  the  arsenal  must 
deliver  up  all  their  small  arms." 

Again  Captain  Sostoa  pleaded  for  delay.    We  had  been  so  absorbed 


68  AFTER   THE    BATTLE. 

in  the  discussion  that  we  had  not  noted  the  amount  of  time  we  had 
already  spent  at  the  arsenal,  but  I  suddenly  remembered  the  orders  that 
had  been  left  with  the  Petrel  to  fire  in  an  hour  if  before  that  we  had  not 
returned  to  the  wharf.  As  it  was  within  only  a  few  minutes  of  the 
limit  it  is  needless  to  say  that  we  considered  it  advisable  to  cut  the  dis 
cussion  short  and  get  away  before  we  should  be  exposed  to  the  Petrel's 
shells. 

Commander  Lamberton  then  gave  Captain  Sostoa  two  hours  in  which 
to  act,  but  said:  "If  the  white  flag  of  unconditional  surrender  is  not 
again  hoisted  before  noon,  hostilities  will  be  reopened." 

We  then  hurried  back  to  the  Petrel  and  started  across  the  bay  to 
give  our  report  to  the  Commodore. 

The  white  flag  was  raised  at  10 :45  o'clock,  but  the  Spaniards  did  not 
carry  out  their  agreement  to  the  letter.  When  we  went  in  the  after 
noon  to  take  possession,  we  found  that  every  seaman  and  marine  had 
been  marched  off  the  Cavite  peninsula  to  the  mainland  and  had  carried 
his  Mauser  rifle  with  him. 

During  the  evening  of  the  same  day  in  which  we  made  our  trip  to 
the  Spanish  arsenal  Admiral  Dewey  sent  the  merchantship  Zaflro  a 
short  distance  down  the  bay  to  cut  the  cable.  We  were  not  able  to  use 
it,  as  we  had  no  instruments  with  which  to  work  it,  and  the  Governor 
would  not  permit  the  cable  company  to  transmit  our  messages  from 
the  regular  station  in  Manila. 

After  the  destruction  of  the  Spanish  fleet,  Commodore  Dewey  moored 
his  squadron  in  the  bay  just  off  the  end  of  Sangley  Point,  near  Cavite. 
On  May  5th  he  sent  the  dispatch  boat  McCulloch  to  Hong  Kong  with  dis 
patches  for  the  government,  and  I  took  passage  in  her  in  order  to 
send  my  cable  messages  to  the  newspaper  with  which  I  was  then 
Connected. 

The  Callao  Runs  into  a  Hot  Place. 

A  few  days  later  the  little  Spanish  gunboat  Callao  came  into  Manila 
Bay  flying  the  Spanish  flag  in  the  face  of  our  whole  fleet,  and,  when 
two  or  three  of  our  vessels  began  popping  away  at  her  with  their 
6-pounders,  she  paid  no  attention  to  this  unusual  reception  but  steamed 
right  on  toward  the  Olympia  as  though  indifferent  to  results.  But 
when  one  of  our  shells  ripped  her  awning  clear  across  from  one  side  of 
the  little  craft  to  the  other,  Lieutenant  Pau,  who  commanded  the 


AFTER  THE   BATTLE.  69 

Callao,  began  to  think  there  was  something  dangerous  in  our  vessels. 
Then  the  "stars  and  stripes"  at  the  peak  or  flagstaff  of  each  of  our  ships 
caught  his  eye,  and  he  hauled  down  his  colors  to  find  out  what  it  all 
meant.  He  said  afterward  that  he  supposed  he  had  got  in  the  range 
of  some  of  his  own  vessels  engaged  in  target  practice.  He  had  been 
cruising  for  several  months  in  the  southern  part  of  the  archipelago  and 
had  not  known  that  there  was  even  talk  about  the  possibility  of  war 
between  the  United  States  and  Spain. 

When  the  McCulloch  arrived  in  Hong  Kong,  May  7th,  and  the  news 
of  Dewey's  great  victory  was  made  public  in  the  United  States,  the  ex 
citement  reached  such  a  height  that  we  who  were  so  far  away  could  not, 
until  long  afterward,  comprehend  why  our  people  at  home  should  have 
been  so  much  moved.  Immediately  the  President  promoted  Commodore 
Dewey  to  be  a  rear  admiral,  and  when  the  McCulloch  arrived  in  Manila 
Bay  on  Tuesday,  May  10th,  the  broad  blue  flag  bearing  two  white  stars 
was  hoisted  at  the  Olynipia's  mainmast  head,  and  a  salute  of  thirteen 
guns  was  fired  by  every  warship  in  the  bay,  including  the  French 
cruiser  Bruix  and  the  British  cruiser  Immortalite",  which  had  arrived  in 
the  bay  two  or  three  days  after  the  battle. 

Life  During  the  Blockade. 

Admiral  Dewey  was  now  blockading  the  Bay  of  Manila,  but  was 
making  no  hostile  demonstration  against  the  city.  In  fact,  there  was 
an  unexpressed  understanding  that,  if  the  fleet  did  not  fire  at  the  city, 
the  forts  would  not  fire  at  the  fleet.  But  there  was  no  reason  why  this 
nominal  armistice  should  continue  any  longer  than  it  suited  the  con 
venience  or  the  interests  of  either  of  the  combatants,  and  therefore  we 
had  to  be  prepared  to  meet  any  form  of  attack  at  all  hours  of  the  «*t*y  or 
night.  Torpedoes  might  have  been  used  with  a  considerable  hope  of 
success  against  our  vessels  if  we  had  relaxed  our  vigilance  in  the  least 
Consequently  we  were  always  on  the  alert.  At  this  time  I  wrote  the 
following  account  of  the  usual  routine  of  each  night  aboard  the  ships  of 
our  squadron: 

"Dead  calm  is  over  the  whole  sheet  of  water  that  stretches  between 
our  squadron  and  the  City  of  Manila.  A  humid  heat  has  made  the 
ships  almost  unbearably  sultry  all  day.  But  now  the  sun  is  nearing 
the  horizon,  and  a  faint  ripple  on  the  water,  two  or  three  miles  away, 


70  AFTER  THE   BATTLE. 

shows  that  at  last  we  are  to  have  an  at  least  temporary  relief.  Heavy 
clouds  are  banked  up  to  the  northward,  and,  as  the  sun  drops  out  of 
sight,  the  exquisite  colors  of  a  Philippine  sunset  reach  half  way  to  the 
zenith  before  the  quickly  oncoming  night  cuts  short  the  panorama. 
Widespread  flashes  of  heat  lightning,  varied  by  the  forked  bolts  of  a 
distant  thunder  storm,  keep  the  west  aglow  at  intervals.  Then  all 
brightness  dies  out,  and  the  impenetrable  gloom  of  a  tropical  night 
closes  down  over  the  ships.  What  will  it  bring  forth?  Ten  miles  away 
lie  the  forces  of  a  defeated  and  sullen  enemy.  Since  the  battle  of  May 
1st  not  a  move  against  us  has  been  made.  All  the  bombast  and  bravado 
of  the  Governor-General  has  had  no  deed  to  back  it  up.  There  are,  we 
are  told,  several  thousand  troops  under  the  Spanish  colors  in  Manila, 
besides  a  large  body  of  seamen  and  marines,  whom  we  drove  out  of 
Cavite.  It  cannot  be  possible  that,  among  so  many  brave  men — and 
they  do  not  lack  for  daring  when  properly  led — there  are  not  a  score  or 
two  capable  of  risking  their  lives  to  destroy  our  ships.  At  any  rate,  our 
admiral  does  not  intend  to  take  any  chances;  and,  when  night  falls 
over  the  bay,  the  squadron  prepares  for  its  protection,  exactly  as  though 
we  were  in  the  presence  of  an  alert  and  determined  foe. 

Night  Scenes  in  Manila  Bay. 

"Just  before  the  last  of  daylight  disappears,  a  swift  steam  launch 
or  one  of  the  captured  tug-boats  shoots  away  from  the  Olympia,  passing 
around  the  squadron  and  giving  the  countersign  for  the  night.  By 
the  time  it  has  finished  its  circuit  the  deep  darkness  has  fallen,  and 
woe  be  to  the  boat  that  then  ventures  within  gunshot  of  any  of  our 
vessels!  Even  the  picket-boat  that  we  keep  out  for  our  own  protection 
does  not  care  to  roam  about  too  near  the  forbidden  waters,  for  an  over- 
hasty  lookout  might  hail  and  then  fire,  without  waiting  for  a  reply.  In 
the  first  few  nights  there  wrere  several  such  incidents  to  enliven  the 
existence  of  the  young  officers  on  picket  duty,  but,  fortunately,  no  one 
was  hurt. 

"All  the  night  one-half  of  each  ship's  company  is  on  watch  along 
side  the  guns  of  the  secondary  battery — that  is,  the  6-pounder,  3-pounder 
and  1-pounder  rapid-firers  and  the  automatic  machine  guns.  At  several 
points  on  each  side  of  the  ship  are  posted  the  keenest-eyed  seamen  of  the 
watch.  No  glow  of  light  is  visible  from  any  part  of  the  vessel  after 


AFTER  THE   BATTLE.  71 

eight  o'clock,  but  two  or  three  men  stand  around  each  searchlight,  ready, 
at  a  word  from  the  officer  of  the  deck,  to  turn  a  concentrated  pencil  of 
blinding  electric  rays  upon  any  object  within  a  range  of  2,000  yards. 
Every  few  minutes  these  lights  sweep  the  waters  of  the  bay.  The  lights 
sometimes  fall  upon  one  of  the  remaining  merchant  vessels  that  have 
not  yet  succeeded  in  getting  enough  ballast  aboard  to  enable  them  to 
go  to  sea,  and  the  effect  is  magical.  Under  a  sky  of  dense  blue  the 
horizon  and  the  atmosphere  just  above  the  water  seem  of  a  Stygian 
blackness,  when  suddenly  a  pencil  of  brightness  shoots  out  from  the  side 
of  one  of  our  vessels  and  falls  upon  a  full  rigged  ship,  bringing  into 
fairy  outlines  all  the  hull,  masts,  spars  and  rigging  of  the  craft, 
silhouetted  against  an  inky  darkness,  like  a  transformation  scene  in 
a  spectacular  play.  This  never  occurs  to  a  warship,  as  it  is  contrary  to 
naval  etiquette  to  throw  a  searchlight  upon  a  man-of-war. 

Ready  for  Any  Emergency. 

"The  guns  of  the  main  battery  are  loaded  with  shrapnel  and  the 
smaller  pieces  with  either  shell  or  shrapnel.  The  1-pounders  and  the 
automatic  machine  guns  in  the  military  tops  are  also  manned,  with  an 
ample  supply  of  ammunition  at  hand. 

"These  precautions  are  taken  nightly — not  because  there  is  a  special 
alarm  concerning  torpedo  attempts,  but  because  it  is  the  custom  of 
American  naval  officers  to  take  nothing  for  granted  in  war  time.  The 
men  not  stationed  as  lookouts  are  allowed  to  sleep  beside  their  guns, 
and  of  the  officers  only  the  one  in  charge  of  the  watch  is  required  to  be 
on  .deck. 

"The  moon  is  almost  a  negligible  quantity.  It  is  after  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning  before  it  rises,  so  that  the  greater  part  of  the  night  is 
as  dark  as  Erebus.  If  ever  the  Spaniards  intend  to  attack  us  they  will 
do  it  before  a  new  moon  begins  to  rise  early  and  light  up  the  bay  for 
a  continually  lengthening  period  of  time.  Every  one  on  shipboard  is  a 
little  more  on  the  qui  vive  than  has  been  deemed  necessary  before. 
More  and  more  frequently  the  searchlights  are  swept  over  the  face  of 
the  water,  and  the  captain  sleeps  with  an  even  greater  readiness  to 
wraken  than  usual. 

"About  ten  minutes  before  the  beginning  of  the  first  watch — that  is, 
the  time  between  eight  o'clock  and  midnight — four  red  lights  sud- 


72  AFTER  THE   BATTLE. 

deiily  flash  into  being  along  the  backstay  of  the  flagship's  mainmast. 
This  is  the  general  call,  and  every  vessel  replies  by  turning  the  same 
arrangement  of  lights  upon  her  Ardois  signal  system.  Rapidly  the  red 
and  white  lanterns  are  turned  on  and  off  aboard  the  Olympia,  while 
the  other  vessels  repeat  each  combination  as  it  appears  on  the  flag 
ship's  mast,  until  we  have  read  the  message:  'Have  reason  to  expect 
torpedo  attack.  Be  ready.'  As  the  message  has  been  sent  by  the 
common  'wig-wag'  code,  with  which  most  of  the  seamen  and  ap 
prentices  are  familiar,  the  whole  squadron  instantly  knows  its  purport, 
and  there  is  a  little  buzz  of  interest  throughout  the  vessels.  The  effect 
is  not  noticeable  except  on  close  scrutiny,  however.  There  is  no  excite 
ment,  no  noise,  and,  apparently,  no  change  in  the  arrangements  usually 
made.  But  a  careful  and  experienced  observer  will  see  that  the  execu 
tive  officer  is  going  through  the  ship  giving  personal  attention  to  the 
selection  of  lookouts  at  the  more  important  posts;  that  the  navigator  is 
inspecting  each  searchlight  and  battle  lantern  to  be  sure  that  the  electric 
current  is  working  satisfactorily;  that  each  division  officer  is  supervis 
ing  the  loading  of  his  guns  and  the  working  of  all  the  battery  mechan 
ism;  that  a  specially  fast  launch  has  been  detailed  for  picket  duty;  that 
the  men — without  being  so  ordered — are  grouping  'round  their  guns  in 
fighting  rig — a  pair  of  trousers  only — avith  no  thought  of  sleeping  until 
the  other  watch  comes  on  at  midnight;  and,  finally,  that  the  captain  is 
pacing  the  bridge  in  cool  contemplation  of  all  the  work,  giving  frequent 
orders  in  low  tones,  showing  that  nothing  has  escaped  his  ceaseless  vigil 
ance. 

Watching  for  Spanish  Torpedoes. 

"In  the  dense  darkness  the  Concord  and  the  Callao  get  underway— 
as  we  learn  next  day — but  no  one  knows  of  this  manceuver  at  the  time, 
for  no  light  betrays  their  movement,  either  from  within  or  without. 
It  is  not  necessary  nor  proper  to  say  where  they  go  or  what  they  do,  for 
there  is  no  telling  of  war  secrets  countenanced  in  this  command.  It  is 
enough  to  say  that  it  would  have  been  a  very  sad  night  for  any  Spanish 
torpedero  who  had  tried  to  get  within  range  of  our  ships  that  night— 
or  any  other  night,  for  that  matter. 

"The  ship  is  as  dark  and  as  silent  as  the  grave.  The  night  wears  on 
with  no  sign  that  there  is  anything  on  foot  out  of  the  usual  run  of 
blockade  routine,  except  that  the  searchlights  are  ceaselessly  active, 


AFTER  THE   BATTLE.  73 

sweeping  the  sea  in  every  direction.  The  clouds  pile  up  heavier  and 
denser,  and  the  heat  grows  more  and  more  oppressive,  until  the  accumu 
lating  storm  bursts  in  tropical  fury  directly  over  the  squadron.  Vivid 
flashes  of  lightning  so  dazzle  the  eye  that  the  arc  rays  seem  like  mere 
tallow  candles.  Accompanied  by  terrific  thunder  and  a  deluge  of  rain 
the  storm  hangs  close  above  our  mastheads,  as  though  resolved  to  give 
our  enemy  every  chance  that  he  could  wish  for  a  favorable  moment  in 
which  to  steal  upon  us  unawares. 

"Through  the  masses  of  rain,  now  driven  fiercely  in  our  faces  by  the 
squall  attending  the  cloud  storm,  it  is  impossible  for  the  searchlights  to 
penetrate  far.  The  light  is  so  diffused  and  refracted  by  the  rain  drops 
that  its  rays  are  stopped  at  a  distance  of  500  or  GOO  yards.  Now,  if  ever, 
is  the  time  for  a  watchful  and  vindictive  foe  to  come  at  us. 


Search  Lights  Ineffective  During  the  Stornj. 

"Suddenly  the  forward  searchlight  falls  upon  something  on  the  port 
bow.  In  this  work  it  is  not  necessary  to  differentiate  between  objects 
and  .determine  what  they  are.  It  is  enough  if  the  light  touches  some 
thing  that  forms  a  contrast  writh  the  sullen,  greenish  grey  of  the  water. 
A  dozen  eyes  are  following  the  sweep  of  the  light.  Half  a  dozen  guns 
swing  quickly  around  till  they  bear  on  the  point  where  the  rays  touch 
the  water.  The  captain  speaks  a  word  in  a  voice-tube,  and  away  aft 
on  the  poop  deck  the  officer  in  command  at  that  place  gives  a  low  order 
to  the  men  at  the  after  light,  which  quickly  veers  around  till  it,  too,  is 
focused  on  the  spot  where  the  forward  one  is  pointed.  It  is  nothing— 
merely  the  wreck  of  an  old  boat  that  has  been  floating  about  the  bay 
ever  since  May  1st.  Other  similarly  unimportant  discoveries  are  made, 
but  they  bear  witness  to  the  watchfulness  of  our  seamen,  and  are, 
therefore,  not  as  unimportant  as  they  may  seem.  Nearly  every  man  is 
wet  all  over,  and  the  breeze — now  fresh  and  cool — makes  the  remainder 
of  the  watch  anything  but  comfortable;  but  there  is  no  relaxation  of 
the  vigil. 

"And  so  wears  the  night  away.  Da\vn  comes  upon  a  calm  sea,  blue 
sky  and  zephyrlike  airs  off  the  laud.  No  enemy  has  appeared,  and  no 
disturbance  has  made  an  even  temporary  excitement.  The  ships'  com 
panies  take  up  the  customary  work  of  the  morning  without  a  murmur, 


74  AFTER  THE   BATTLE. 

apparently  indifferent  to  the  strain  and  hardship  of  a  whole  night  of 
waiting  for  the  torpedo  that  never  came." 

A  Voyage  with  Aguinaldo. 

On  May  17th  the  McCulloch,  having  returned  to  Hong  Kong  with  dis 
patches,  again  sailed  for  Manila  Bay,  having  on  board  as  passengers, 
with  the  consent  of  Admiral  Dewey,  Emilio  Aguinaldo  and  about  forty 
of  his  subordinate  followers,  who  had  begged  permission  to  come  to 
Cavite  and  resume  their  insurrection  against  the  Spaniards.  I  re 
turned  to  the  fleet  myself  in  the  McCulloch  on  this  trip,  and  was  thus 
able  to  make  Aguinaldo's  acquaintance  under  very  favorable  circum 
stances. 

General  Aguinaldo  landed  in  Cavite  May  19th  and  issued  three 
proclamations  on  May  24th.  In  the  first,  he  gave  as  the  reason  for  his 
return  to  Luzon  the  fact  that  the  Spaniards  seemed  powerless  in  the 
hands  of  the  priests,  who  constantly  placed  obstacles  in  the  way  of 
progress.  None  of  the  promised  reforms  in  the  government  had  been 
carried  out.  He  also  stated  that  he  had  surrendered  his  arms  and 
handed  over  a  strong  army  believing  it  would  be  more  beneficial  to  the 
country  than  carrying  on  an  insurrection  with  poor  resources.  Now,  he 
said,  as  the  great  and  powerful  United  States  had  come  forward  to  offer 
disinterested  protection  that  the  natives  might  gain  liberty  for  their 
country,  he  had  returned  to  command  the  arnr^,  and  proposed  to  estab 
lish  a  dictatorship,  with  an  advisory  council,  until  the  islands  were  com 
pletely  independent. 

In  the  second  proclamation  he  forbade  all  negotiations  for  peace  be 
tween  the  rebels  and  the  Spaniards,  in  view  of  the  failure,  both  civil 
and  militar}',  of  all  previous  negotiations.  He  also  announced  that  all 
Spaniards  coming  to  parley  without  credentials  and  a  flag  of  truce 
would  be  shot  as  spies.  If  a  Filipino  undertook  such  a  commission  he 
would  be  condemned  to  be  hanged  with  the  placard  "Traitor  to  his 
country"  attached  to  his  body. 

Aguinaldo's  Proclamation  to  the  Filipinos. 

The  third  and  most  important  proclamation,  because  of  its  humane 
intentions,  addressed  directly  to  the  Filipinos,  read  as  follows: 


AFTER  THE   BATTLE.  75 

"The  great  North  American  nation,  a  lover  of  true  liberty,  and  there 
fore  desirous  of  liberating  our  country  from  the  tyranny  and  despotism 
to  which  it  has  been  subjected  by  its  rulers,  has  decided  to  give  us  disin 
terested  protection,  considering  us  sufficiently  able  and  civilized  to  gov 
ern  ourselves. 

"In  order  to  retain  this  high  opinion  of  the  never  to  be  too  highly 
praised  and  great  nation  of  North  America,  we  should  abominate  such 
acts  as  pillage  and  robbery  of  every  description,  and  acts  of  violence 
against  persons  and  property. 

"To  avoid  international  complications  during  the  campaign,  I  decree: 

"1.  Lives  and  property  of  all  foreigners  are  to  be  respected,  includ 
ing  Chinese  and  those  Spaniards  who  neither  directly  nor  indirectly 
have  taken  up  arms  against  us. 

"2.  The  lives  and  property  of  our  enemies  who  lay  down  their 
arms  are  to  be  equally  respected. 

"3.  In  the  same  way,  all  hospitals  and  all  ambulances,  together  with 
the  persons  and  effects  therein,  as  well  as  their  staffs,  are  to  be  respected, 
unless  they  show  themselves  hostile. 

"4.  Those  who  disobey  what  is  set  forth  in  the  three  former  articles 
shall  be  tried  by  summary  courtmartial  and  shot,  if  by  such  disobedi 
ence  there  has  been  caused  assassination,  fires,  robbery,  or  violence." 

Aguinaldo's  Movements  against  the  Spanish. 

As  the  prospects  for  fighting  between  the  United  States  naval  forces 
and  the  Spanish  troops  on  shore  were  now  practically  nil,  I  devoted  my 
time  to  watching  the  proceedings  of  the  Filipinos  under  Aguinaldo. 
Within  a  week  after  his  arrival  in  Cavite  he  had  about  1,000  men  under 
arms.  Admiral  Dewey  gave  him  a  large  number  of  Mauser  rifles  and  a 
considerable  quantity  of  ammunition,  captured  from  the  Spaniards,  and 
in  a  day  or  two  a  small  steamer  called  the  Faon — an  assumed  name, 
by  the  way — came  into  port  from  Canton,  bringing  about  3,000  stand  of 
Remington  breechloading  rifles  and  a  large  stock  of  cartridges  for  these 
pieces. 

On  the  night  of  May  26th  Aguinaldo  sent  600  men  across  Bakor  Bay 
to  land  between  the  detachment  of  Spaniards  who  were  holding  Ca 
vite  Viejo  (Old  Cavite)  and  the  detachment  quartered  in  the  powder 
magazine,  a  little  to  the  east  of  Cavite  Viejo.  The  garrison  in  each 


76  AFTER  THE   BATTLE. 

of  these  strong  positions  was  about  300  men,  so  that  the  insurgents 
were  represented  by  a  force  equal  to  that  of  their  enemy.  But,  while 
the  Spaniards  had  fully  1,000  men  and  several  pieces  of  artillery  within 
easy  call  of  both  these  positions,  the  natives  had  no  artillery  and  no 
possibility  of  getting  reinforcements.  Once  landed  on  the  Old  Cavite 
side  of  Bakor  Bay,  they  must  fight  it  out  for  themselves. 

On  the  morning  of  May  28th  a  detachment  of  Spaniards  attacked 
the  insurgents  and  were  not  only  repulsed  but  forced  to  surrender,  the 
insurgents  capturing  in  two  skirmishes  418  Spaniards,  including  fifteen 
officers.  The  country  where  these  affairs  took  place  was  covered  with  a 
thick  tropical  undergrowth,  while  numerous  streams  and  swamps  per 
mitted  no  military  order  to  be  maintained. 

Watching  a  Battle  from  the  Bay. 

On  May  29th,  before  the  sun  had  yet  risen,  General  Aguinaldo  rein 
forced  his  troops  on  the  mainland  with  about  one  thousand  men.  I  ex 
pected  to  witness  a  charge  over  the  narrow  neck  of  land  that  connects 
Cavite  peninsula  with  the  mainland,  where  the  Spaniards  were  known 
to  have  at  least  one  field  gun  and  the  bulk  of  their  troops.  Before  noon, 
however,  General  Aguinaldo  told  me  he  had  changed  his  plan,  because 
the  Spaniards  held  the  peninsula  with  such  a  large  force  that  he  feared 
an  assault  would  not  be  successful.  If  he  failed  he  would  not  be  able 
to  reinforce  his  men  on  the  other  side  of  the  bay  without  taking  great 
chances  from  the  Mausers  of  the  Spaniards  stationed  at  the  Bakor 
magazine  and  at  Old  Cavite.  Also,  in  case  the  Spaniards  should  bring 
heavy  reinforcements  from  Manila,  his  men  would  be  caught  between 
two  fires,  where  they  might  all  be  captured  or  killed.  As  this  was  the 
situation  he  refused  to  give  me  any  assistance  to  get  to  the  front,  and 
would  not  even  give  me  a  guide  to  show  me  where  to  land  my  boat  on  the 
other  side. 

I  then  tried  to  cross  the  neck  of  land  leading  from  the  peninsula  to 
the  mainland,  but  having  drawn  the  fire  of  the  Spaniards  as  soon  as  I 
came  out  from  the  cover  of  the  trees,  where  I  was  wholly  exposed  on  a 
narrow  sandy  beach,  I  returned  to  Cavite  to  ask  Aguinaldo  again  for  a 
boat  and  guide.  As  nothing  could  persuade  him  to  alter  his  decision 
I  hired  a  native  canoe  and  started  to  cross  the  bay  without  a  guide. 
When  nearing  the  shore  between  Old  Cavite  and  Bakor,  zip!  the  Mauser 


AFTER  THE   BATTLE.  77 

bullets  gave  warning  that  the  Spaniards  were  watching  for  the  approach 
of  boats  from  the  rebel  side. 

Filipinos  against  Spanish. 

Suddenly  a  sharp  pattering  fire,  followed  by  the  continuous  rattle 
of  a  machine  gun,  broke  out  on  the  extreme  right  of  the  Spanish  posi 
tion.  It  was  evident  that  the  Spanish  troops  from  Manila  were  coming 
down  the  road  well  back  from  the  bay.  As  I  was  only  about  a  mile  from 
the  magazine  on  the  beach  I  could  hear  the  cheers  of  the  Spanish  soldiers 
stationed  there,  and  see  them  waving  their  hats  wildly  in  the  air  in  ex 
pectation  of  the  reinforcements  from  Manila.  The  steady  rattle  of  the 
machine  gun  continued  for  twenty  minutes  and  showed  that  a  hot  action 
was  in  progress.  Then  it  stopped  as  suddenly  as  it  had  begun.  Present 
ly  a  slender  column  of  smoke  rose  in  the  air  near  the  scene  of  the  fight. 
It  was  evidently  a  signal  to  Aguinaldo  in  Cavite. 

As  I  was  intently  watching  the  events  on  shore  I  did  not  notice 
what  was  happening  behind  me  and  was  suddenly  surprised  to  hear  the 
roar  of  a  heavy  gun.  I  could  tell  by  the  scream  of  the  projectile  as  it 
passed  over  me  that  it  came  from  a  rifled  gun  of  large  calibre,  and  for 
a  moment  I  thought  the  Petrel  must  have  entered  into  the  fight.  I 
could  not  discover  where  the  shot  struck;  but  looking  back  to  Cavite, 
I  distinguished  a  group  of  rebels  surrounding  four  muzzle-loading 
rifles  that  pointed  toward  the  Spaniards  from  the  Cavite  wall.  In  front 
of  the  guns  a  long  stovepipe  was  throwing  out  a  column  of  signal  smoke 
like  the  one  on  the  beach  near  me.  This  was  the  plan  Aguiualdo  had 
been  keeping  in  reserve,  and  he  was  now  letting  his  men  at  the  front 
know  he  was  ready  to  take  part  in  the  fight. 

With  the  aid  of  strong  glasses,  I  was  able  to  watch  the  movements  of 
both  parties  far  better  than  from  any  point  on  shore.  For  two  miles 
along  the  water  I  could  see  brown-skinned  men,  wearing  very  few 
clothes,  running  toward  the  Spanish  positions.  The  rebels  took  ad 
vantage  of  every  point  of  cover,  and  in  groups  of  ten  or  twenty  they 
would  make  short  rushes. 

Victory  for  the  Insurgents. 

The  shots  from  Mauser  rifles  that  came  skipping  into  the  water  in 
large  numbers  told  me  that  there  must  be  many  Spaniards  out  of  sight 


78  AFTER  THE   BATTLE. 

inland,  whose  firing  was  more  commendable  for  its  rapidity  than  for 
its  accuracy.  Once  in  a  while  a  man  would  fall  on  the  beach.  Some 
times  he  would  lie  motionless  and  again  he  would  crawl  painfully  to 
cover.  Unfortunately  the  sky  was  so  overcast  that  I  was  unable  to 
take  any  photographs. 

Meantime  the  Spaniards  had  stopped  cheering,  but  I  could  see  that 
at  all  their  posts  they  were  keeping  more  tenaciously  under  cover  than 
were  the  insurgents  and  were  thus  saving  themselves  from  many 
casualties. 

All  this  time  a  field  piece  at  Bakor  Church  was  firing  frequently  and 
trying  to  sweep  the  beach  to  the  westward.  At  ten  minutes  past  two 
o'clock  one  of  the  heavy  guns  of  the  Cavite  battery  roared  out  again, 
and  this  time  the  shot  struck  the  water  close  to  the  magazine.  Its  effect 
•was  positively  ludicrous.  Twenty  men  seized  a  flagstaff  about  thirty 
feet  long,  bearing  a  large,  white  flag,  and  raised  it  to  a  standing  position. 
They  were  in  such  haste  that  they  lost  their  hold  and  it  fell  to  the 
ground.  A  second  time  they  lifted  it,  and  a  second  time  it  fell.  But 
finally  with  a  third  attempt  it  was  elevated  in  plain  sight  of  the  Cavite 
guns.  The  Spanish  garrison,  however,  tried  to  escape  to  Bakor  with  all 
their  arms  and  a  quantity  of  stores  that  they  took  from  the  magazine 
buildings,  but  they  wrere  captured  and  forced  to  surrender. 

Like  ants  now,  the  little  brown  men  swarmed  along  the  beach 
toward  Bakor  Church.  This  was  the  only  place  where  the  Spaniards 
seemed  to  be  strong  except  at  Old  Cavite.  It  was  evident  that  the  rebels 
were  pressing  upon  them  harder  from  the  land  side  than  from  the 
beach;  for,  while  the  field  piece  fired  a  few  shots  and  reports  of  rifles 
were  frequent,  fewer  bullets  came  in  my  direction. 

Bakor  Church  Carried  by  Assault. 

On  an  arched  stone  bridge  near  Old  Cavite  the  rebels  raised  their 
flag,  and  presently  another  rebel  force  was  seen  pursuing  about  fifty 
Spaniards  along  the  beach.  These  men  surrendered  far  to  the  left  of 
the  general  fighting  ground,  and  were  marched  back  toward  Bakor. 

On  toward  Manila  a  great  column  of  smoke  rose  in  the  air  to  the 
height  of  a  thousand  feet,  showing  that  the  Spaniards  retreating  in  that 
direction  had  fired  the  town  of  Las  Piiias. 

Upon  the  Spanish  position  at  Bakor  Church  frequent  charges  were 


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AFTER  THE   BATTLE.  81 

made,  and  I  saw  many  men  fall  either  dead  or  wounded.  Some  of  the 
latter  would  drag  themselves  down  to  the  water's  edge  to  bathe  their 
wounds.  At  last  a  savage  assault  was  made  upon  the  church.  Once, 
twice,  the  field  piece  spoke,  and  then  was  silent.  The  rattle  of  the  rifles, 
which  had  been  more  rapid  for  a  time,  stopped  simultaneously,  and 
suddenly  all  was  quiet.  No  one  remained  on  the  beach  but  the  dead 
and  wounded  Filipinos. 

In  a  few  moments  two  or  three  wounded  men  staggered  to  their  feet, 
waved  their  hats  in  the  air,  and  then  sank  down,  exhausted  but  vic 
torious.  Presently  the  rebel  flag — a  band  of  red  above  and  blue  below, 
with  half  a  white  diamond  near  the  flagstaff — fluttered  from  the  roof  of 
Bakor  Church.  Everything  on  the  beach  had  been  captured  except  Old 
Cavite. 

As  night  was  coming  on  and  as  there  were  indications  of  a  typhoon, 
which  rapidly  passed  over  Luzon  within  the  next  thirty-six  hours,  I 
reluctantly  returned  to  the  fleet. 

Later,  when  I  visited  some  of  the  Spanish  officers  who  had  been 
captured  in  previous  skirmishes,  I  found  that  the  rebels  treated  their 
prisoners  with  consideration  and  gave  them  comfortable  quarters. 

Allowed  to  Go  to  the  Front. 

On  June  2  Aguinaldo  gave  me  a  pass  through  all  his  lines,  and  that 
day  I  took  a  native  canoe  and  crossed  the  bay  to  the  rebel  camp  near 
Old  Cavite.  There  I  sought  out  Brigadier-General  Tomas  Mascado, 
who  was  in  command  of  the  troops.  A  guide  to  the  front  was  provided 
for  me,  and  when  I  reached  the  bridge  where  the  rebel  flag  had  been 
hoisted  a  few  days  before  I  found  that  it  had  been  barricaded  with  large 
stones  taken  from  the  coping  on  the  rebel  side.  The  insurgents  had 
wholly  surrounded  the  solid  stone  church  at  Old  Cavite  and  had  pre 
pared  to  starve  out  the  garrison. 

The  country  about  here  was  most  difficult  to  cross  on  account  of  the 
thick  tropical  growth  with  which  it  was  covered.    There  were  few  roads 
penetrating  this  dense  mass  of  vegetation,  and  the  water  was  every 
where  covered  with  heavy  green  slime.    As  I  passed  through  several    / 
villages  I  saw  many  natives  idling  about  the  low  thatched  houses,  and  •' 
all  looked  half  starved.    The  young  men,  however,  who  formed  the  bulk 
of  the  rebel  fighting  material,  were  enthusiastic  and  brave. 


82  AFTER  THE   BATTLE. 

Being  an  American  and  having  no  right  to  take  any  part  in  the 
operations  of  the  natives  against  the  Spaniards,!  was  interested  in  mere 
ly  the  news  features  of  the  campaign  that  was  then  going  on  in  Cavite 
Province.  While  I  expected  to  go  wherever  it  might  be  necessary  or 
desirable  for  me  to  go,  in  order  to  witness  the  fighting,  I  had  promised 
Aguinaldo,  when  he  gave  me  my  pass,  that  I  would  not  run  any  un 
necessary  risks  and  particularly  that  I  would  not  go  to  the  Old  Cavite 
bridge;  because,  he  said,  the  fighting  at  that  point  was  likely  to  be  very 
hot,  and,  if  I  should  be  killed,  my  death  might  have  a  bad  influence 
upon  the  Filipino  cause.  When,  therefore,  my  pony  stopped  at  the  in 
cline  to  a  bridge  about  noon,  I  walked  forward  to  the  stone  barricade 
that  was  built  across  the  bridge  at  the  highest  point  of  its  arch.  I  had 
crossed  several  bridges  en  route  to  this  one,  and  therefore  I  did  not 
connect  this  particular  bridge  with  the  warning  Aguinaldo  had  given 
me.  The  heat  was  intense  and  the  stillness  of  the  tropical  noon  per 
vaded  everything.  Perhaps  a  dozen  natives  were  in  the  barricade,  look 
ing  through  the  portholes  that  had  been  left  between  the  large  stones, 
and  near  a  road-side  house  there  were  many  Filipino  soldiers  loung 
ing  in  the  shade  of  bamboo  sheds  covered  with  coarse  straw  mats.  In 
front  of  the  house  was  a  new  Krupp  field-piece,  unlimbered. 

Within  Short  Range  of  the  Enemy. 

I  noticed  that  the  soldiers  were  greatly  interested  in  me,  and  as  I 
went  up  the  incline  of  the  bridge  they  all  stood  up  and  saluted,  while 
one  or  two  said  they  would  call  an  officer.  I  was  accustomed  to  receiv 
ing  the  salutes  of  the  Filipino  soldiers,  as  they  knew  me  to  be  an 
American  serving  with  our  fleet,  and  it  was  natural  that  they  should 
suppose  me  to  be  an  officer  of  our  navy.  But  on  this  occasion  they 
showed  a  great  deal  more  curiosity  and  respect  combined  than  I  had 
ever  before  noticed.  On  looking  through  the  loop-holes  in  the  stone 
barricade,  I  saw  that  I  had,  unintentionally,  broken  my  promise  to 
Aguinaldo  and  that  I  was  on  the  crest  of  the  bridge  where  I  had  seen 
such  a  hot  fight  in  progress  only  a  few  hours  before,  when  I  was  watch 
ing  the  shore  from  the  poop-deck  of  the  Petrel.  About  200  yards  away 
was  the  church  of  Old  Cavite,  and  I  could  easily  distinguish  the  features 
of  the  Spanish  marines  who  were  watching  the  rebel  barricade  over  the 
top  of  the  church  parapet.  I  had  walked  "into  the  lion's  den"  without 


AFTER  THE   BATTLE.  83 

the  slightest  suspicion  that  I  was  approaching  the  advance  posts  of  the 
insurgent  position.  As  the  distance  was  an  easy  point-blank  range  for 
the  Mauser  rifle,  I  felt  that,  as  a  non-combatant,  I  had  no  business  there. 
But,  of  course,  I  was  anxious  to  see  what  was  going  on;  and,  besides, 
it  would  have  been  impossible  for  me  to  withdraw  until  I  had  done  what 
I  came  to  do — namely,  learn  the  situation  and  get  what  information  the 
Filipinos  in  the  fighting  line  were  able  to  give  me. 

Looted  Articles  from  Cavite. 

So  I  unslung  my  camera  and  asked  the  soldiers  to  group  themselves 
in  rear  of  the  barricade  so  that  I  could  take  their  pictures.  Only  one 
or  two  of  them  spoke  Spanish,  and  the}7  not  fluently,  so  that  I  had  some 
difficulty  in  getting  matters  arranged  to  suit  me.  But  they  brought  me 
from  the  house  near  the  bridge  a  black  walnut  table  and  a  very  com 
fortable  bent-wood  Vienna  chair,  and  one  of  the  older  men  held  over 
my  head,  to  shield  me  from  the  almost  intolerable  rays  of  the  sun,  a  fine 
silk  umbrella.  All  of  these  articles  were  a  part  of  the  "loot"  taken  out  of 
Cavite  and  San  Roque.  A  great  number  of  the  natives  crowded  into  the 
narrow  space  on  the  bridge,  anxious  to  see  what  the  "Arnericanong" 
was  going  to  do.  I  may  here  remark  that  my  photograph  was  a  failure, 
because  my  films  had  been  spoiled  by  the  climate. 

However,  after  getting  a  large  amount  of  interesting  information 
from  Captain  Sallafranca,  who  was  in  command  of  the  post,  temporarily, 
and  after  attempting  to  get  a  photo  of  the  bridge  barricade,  I  was  ready 
to  continue  my  trip  through  the  rebel  lines  around  the  Spanish  posi 
tion  in  Old  Cavite.  As  I  rose  from  my  comfortable  chair  and  turned  my 
eyes  toward  the  bay,  I  saw  the  Petrel  about  a  mile  an.d  a  half  away, 
lying  off  Cavite.  As  I  mentioned  before,  I  had  been  aboard  the  Petrel 
earlier  in  the  day,  watching  the  fierce  fighting  that  had  then  been  going 
on  at  this  bridge;  and,  thinking  that  perhaps  some  of  the  Petrel's 
officers  might  have  their  glasses  still  turned  on  the  bridge,  it  occurred 
to  me  that  I  would  let  them  see  that  I  was  there.  Accordingly,  as  I 
stood  up,  I  waved  my  white  helmet  two  or  three  times  toward  the 
Petrel.  It  must  be  remembered  that  it  was  as  peaceful  and  quiet  in 
that  neighborhood  as  a  country  church-yard  on  Sunday.  Not  a  shot 
had  been  fired  since  I  arrived  at  the  bridge,  and  momentarily  I  had 
forgotten  that  I  was  within  point-blank  range  of  250  Mauser  rifles. 


84  AFTER  THE   BATTLE. 

This  was  one  of  the  usual  conditions  at  that  time  of  year,  for  the  heat 
was  so  overpowering  that  there  was  seldom  any  fighting  between  ten 
o'clock  in  the  forenoon  and  sunset. 

The  Spaniards  Open  Fire. 

But  the  Spaniards  in  Old  Cavite  church  had,  evidently,  become  dis 
turbed  at  the  unusual  gathering  of  men  behind  the  Filipino  barricade, 
for  they  had  massed  nearly  their  whole  force  opposite  our  position, 
probably  fearing  a  sudden  charge.  When,  therefore,  they  saw  my  hel 
met  waved  three  times,  they  felt  sure  the  rush  was  about  to  begin; 
and  bang!  br-r-r-r  started  off  the  rolling  fire  of  their  Mausers;  and 
ping!  ping!  ping!  came  the  shower  of  their  bullets  on  the  rocks  around 
us.  The  air  seemed  full  of  little  whirring  scorpions,  and  as  I  sat  down 
again  in  my  chair  to  chronicle  the  incidents  passing  before  me — and, 
incidentally,  of  course,  not  to  expose  myself  any  more  than  was  neces 
sary  to  the  swarm  of  projectiles  whistling  close  about  me — it  seemed 
impossible  that  any  of  us  in  that  redoubt  would  ever  come  out  of  it 
unhurt.  For,  although  the  barricade  gave  considerable  protection,  the 
port-holes  were  six  inches  high  by  three  inches  wide,  and  one  side  of  the 
bridge  was  wholly  unprotected  because  the  stones  had  been  removed 
to  make  a  place  for  the  field  gun,  which  had  been  used  to  shell  the 
church  earlier  in  the  day. 

The  Filipinos  returned  the  Spanish  fire  promptly,  and  their  men 
flocked  into  the  redoubt  in  such  numbers  that  they  soon  silenced  the 
Spaniards.  And,  except  for  one  man,  who  went  by  picking  a  lot  of  loose 
teeth  out  of  his  mouth,  where  a  bullet  had  raked  his  jaw,  and  another, 
who  was  shot  in  the  leg,  there  were  no  casualties  on  our  side.  Having 
waited  till  the  firing  had  wholly  ceased,  I  moved  away  to  the  left  of  the 
rebel  lines  to  see  General  Mascado,  kindly  but  firmly  declining  the 
invitation  of  Captain  Sallafranca  to  train  the  field-piece  on  the  church 
and  show  his  men  how  to  aim  it.  He  told  me  that  they  had  fired  twelve 
shots  at  the  church  at  that  short  range  and  had  hit  it  only  three  times. 
As  the  piece  had  been  captured  from  the  Spaniards  at  Imus  only  that 
morning,  it  was  not  strange  that  they  should  have  been  unfamiliar  with 
its  use.  This  little  experience  gave  me  a  good  idea  of  the  inefficiency 
of  the  Spanish  force,  for  at  the  distance  of  200  yards  they  ought  to  have 
killed  and  wounded  a  large  number  of  the  natives,  in  spite  of  the  pro 
tection  afforded  by  the  stones. 


AFTER  THE   BATTLE.  85 

All  the  Spaniards  Surrender. 

Five  days  later  the  garrison  in  Old  Cavite  church  surrendered  un 
conditionally,  and  by  that  time  not  one  Spaniard  was  left  uncaptured 
in  Cavite  Province.  Aguinaldo's  men  had  taken  them  in  one  detach 
ment  after  another,  and  the  net  result  was  that  about  1,600  Spaniards 
became  the  prisoners  of  an  equal  number  of  Filipinos. 

It  is  easy  to  see  how  these  victories  encouraged  the  natives  and 
made  them  imagine  that  they  were  irresistible.  Thousands  of  rein 
forcements  flocked  to  Aguinaldo,  and  he  was  able  to  arm  them  partly 
with  the  rifles  he  had  captured  from  the  Spaniards  and  partly  with 
Remingtons,  bought  in  Hong  Kong  and  shipped  to  him  in  chartered 
craft  from  Canton  or  Amoy. 

From  this  time  until  the  arrival  of  the  first  detachment  of  United 
States  troops,  on  the  30th  of  June,  Aguinaldo  maintained  his  head 
quarters  in  Cavite,  but  his  troops  were  continually  pressing  the  Span 
iards  back  upon  Manila.  Every  night  fierce  musketry  fire  was  heard 
along  the  road  that  ran  around  the  bay  from  Cavite  to  Manila,  and 
every  fight  showed  that  the  native  troops  had  made  considerable  ad 
vance  in  their  position  beyond  that  of  the  preceding  night.  It  was  not 
long  before  they  reached  the  fort  near  the  beach  at  Malate,  one  of 
Manila's  suburbs,  and  then  they  continued  their  movement  for  invest 
ing  the  city  to  the  east  and  north. 


v  » 


CHAPTER  IV. 
PREPARING  TO   TAKE  MANILA. 

The  American  People  Rise  to  <an  Emergency — General  Merrkt  Chosen  to 
Command  an  Expedition  to  the  Philippines — Gathering  an  Army  at 
San  Francisco — Complications  with  the  Germans  in  Manila  Bay — 
Another  Spanish  Gunboat  Captured — Prisoners  Become  >a  Nuisance — 
Arrival  of  Transports  and  Troops — First  Battle  Ashore — Ready  to 
Take  Manila. 

By  Dewey's  victory  in  Manila  Bay,  there  were  suddenly  created  obli 
gations  to  be  met  by  the  United  States  such  as  had  never  been  con 
templated  by  the  people,  and  hardly  by  the  administration.  The  coun 
try  rose  to  meet  them  with  notable  enthusiasm  and  promptitude.  Con 
sidered  in  its  influence  upon  our  national  standing  among  the  Euro 
pean  powers,  perhaps  no  feature  of  the  year's  history  was  of  greater 
importance  than  this.  It  was  accepted  instantly  that  a  military  expe 
dition  was  demanded  in  order  to  follow  up  the  advantages  gained  in 
the  naval  victory.  Without  delay,  Major-General  Wesley  Merritt  was 
appointed  to  the  command  of  the  proposed  expedition  and  the  details 
of  the  plans  involved  were  formulated  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

San  Francisco  was  made  the  port  where  this  army  was  to  be  mobil 
ized  and  whence  it  should  sail  on  the  long  voyage  across  the  Pacific 
ocean.  General  Merritt  desired  that  as  large  a  part  as  possible  of  his 
force  be  made  up  of  regulars,  as  it  was  known  that  the  Spanish  soldiers 
in  the  Philippines  were  the  pick  of  the  Castilian  army.  Nevertheless, 
the  need  of  picked  men  of  our  regiments  for  the  Cuban  campaign  was 
equally  imperative,  so  in  the  end  volunteers  predominated  among  those 
who  were  sent  to  San  Francisco. 

Mobilization  at  San  Francisco. 

In  the  city  by  the  Golden  Gate  thousands  of  men  gathered  during 
May  and  June,  encamping  in  the  beautiful  military  reservation  known 

86 


PEEPAECNG  TO  TAKE  MANILA.  8C 

as  the  Presidio,  where  they  were  drilled  energetically  and  instructed 
in  all  details  possible  of  the  service  that  was  to  be  required  of  them. 
Most  of  the  volunteers  assigned  to  the  Philippine  expedition  were  those 
in  the  regiments  from  the  western  states,  in  order  to  shorten  the  rail 
way  journey  necessary  to  bring  them  to  the  port  of  embarkation.  The 
Pacific  ports  were  ransacked  by  quartermasters-general  in  order  to 
find  transports  for  the  long  voyage;  but  at  last  all  preparations  wrere 
complete  and  the  expedition  began  to  sail. 

During  the  period  of  waiting,  while  the  army  was  mobilizing  in 
San  Francisco  and  while  it  was  making  the  journey  in  the  troopships, 
the  navy  had  to  wait,  inactive  so  far  as  visible  progress  was  concerned, 
sometimes  impatient  at  the  tedium  of  the  service,  but  always  perform 
ing  duties  hardly  less  essential  than  the  more  spectacular  ones  of  early 
May.  The  complications  with  the  Germans  in  Manila  Bay  at  one  time 
threatened  to  take  a  serious  form  and  Admiral  Dewey  had  another 
opportunity  to  demonstrate  his  readiness  to  meet  any  emergency. 

Peculiar  Actions  of  the  Gerfnans. 

Within  a  few  days  after  the  battle  of  May  1,  German  men-of-war 
began  to  arrive,  until  finally  seven  warships  out  of  the  eight  which 
Germany  had  in  the  far  east  wrere  there.  Vice-Admiral  Von  Diederichs, 
who  commanded  the  Asiatic  squadron,  wras  with  his  flagship  among  the 
number.  The  significance  of  this  demonstration  created  much  specula 
tion  and  concern. 

When  it  is  considered  that  Germany,  Austria  and  Portugal  delayed 
their  expressions  of  neutrality  to  an  alarming  limit,  the  massing  of 
German  ships  at  this  critical  time  was  regarded  as  significant  Ac 
cording  to  an  unwritten  law  of  international  courtesy  it  is  unusual 
for  more  than  two  or  three  ships  of  a  foreign  power  to  gather  in  a  block 
aded  port.  The  German  interests  in  Manila  were  not  so  extensive  as  to 
require  a  great  force  to  protect  them.  It  wras  equally  improbable  that 
the  Germans  were  there  merely  to  witness  the  last  act  of  Admiral 
Dewey's  brilliant  tragedy.  The  theory  of  curiosity  could  hardly  justify 
them  in  leaving  Kiau-Chou  at  a  time  wThen  the  Russian  and  English 
relations  are  so  strained. 

Vice-Admiral  Von  Diederichs  said  that  Germany  was  making  a  dem 
onstration  in  Manila  bay  for  the  purpose  of  benefiting  the  trade  rela- 


88  PREPARING   TO  TAKE  MANILA. 

tions  between  Manila  and  his  own  country.  The  exact  connection  be 
tween  cause  and  effect  in  this  instance  was  somewhat  obscure. 

The  Spaniards  in  Manila,  according  to  the  Diario  de  Manila,  looked 
on  the  Germans  as  being  their  friends  and  sympathizers,  and  the  advent 
of  Germany's  fleet  as  encouragement  to  Spanish  interests.  The  Ger 
mans  saluted  the  Spanish  flag  on  several  occasions  after  Admiral 
Dewey  established  his  blockade.  This  was  apparently  intended  as 
evidence  of  special  friendliness  to  Spain.  Neither  the  English  nor 
French  saluted  the  Spanish  flag,  and  only  in  one  instance  did  the  Japan 
ese  salute  it. 

Finally,  after  a  series  of  annoyances  from  the  Germans,  Admiral 
Dewey  requested  from  Admiral  Diederichs  an  explanation  of  Germany's 
position  in  the  Philippines.  He  also  protested  against  the  German 
admiral's  disregard  of  the  American  blockade  of  Manila. 

Admiral  Dewey  Asks  an  Explanation. 

The  German  naval  officers  had  taken  pains  to  show  particular  friend 
liness  toward  the  Spaniards.  The  German  officers  had  visited  the 
Spanish  fortifications  and  trenches  and  the  Manila  newspapers  had 
asserted  that  the  presence  before  the  city  of  so  many  German  ships 
enabled  the  Spanish  authorities  and  the  people  of  Manila  to  regard 
the  American  fleet  with  complacency. 

Finally  the  German  admiral  told  Admiral  Dewey  that  three  of  his 
ships  were  to  depart,  but  they  went  only  as  far  as  Mariveles,  Subig  bay 
and  Cebu.  On  June  27  the  McCulloch  met  the  Irene,  one  of  the  German 
fleet,  at  Corregidor  island,  preparing  to  enter  the  bay,  and  signaled  to 
her:  "We  wish  to  communicate  with  you."  The  Irene  paid  no  attention 
to  the  signal,  and  proceeded  on  her  way  until  a  small  boat  was  sent  out 
to  her  from  the  McCulloch.  The  captain  of  the  Irene  explained  the 
matter  by  saying  that  he  had  misunderstood  the  signal. 

The  action  of  the  Irene  in  interfering  with  an  attack  by  the  insur 
gent  vessel,  Filipinas,  on  the  Spanish  garrison  at  Isla  Grande,  in  Subig 
bay,  was  in  line  with  the  attitude  adopted  by  the  German  naval  officers. 
As  soon  as  the  insurgents  reported  the  matter  to  Admiral  Dewey  he 
dispatched  the  Raleigh  and  Concord  to  Subig  bay  and  captured  the 
Spanish  garrison,  the  Irene  departing  hastily  on  the  arrival  of  the 
American  warships. 


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PREPARING  TO  TAKE  MANILA.  93 

At  last  Admiral  Dewey  sent  an  officer  to  the  German  flagship  with  a 
request  that  Admiral  Diederichs  nmke  a  statement  of  the  German  atti 
tude  in  the  matter  of  the  blockade  of  Manila.  At  the  same  time  he 
delivered  a  protest  against  various  actions  by  German  officers,  such  as 
have  been  mentioned  here.  The  German  admiral  sent  an  immediate 
explanation.  Two  days  later,  however,  he  sent  a  protest  to  Admiral 
Dewey  against  the  action  of  American  officers  in  boarding  German  ships 
coming  to  Manila  from  Mariveles.  He  cited  the  incident  of  the  Mc- 
Culloch  and  the  Irene  at  Corregidor. 

Admiral  Dewey  replied  to  this  very  courteously  but  firmly.  He 
pointed  out  to  the  German  admiral  that  international  law  gave  to  the 
commander  of  a  blockading  fleet  authority  to  communicate  with  all 
the  ships  entering  a  blockaded  port.  As  international  law  permitted 
warships  to  fly  any  flag  they  chose  in  order  to  deceive  an  enemy,  the 
nationality  of  vessels  entering  the  bay  could  not  be  determined  abso 
lutely  without  communicating  with  them.  He  announced  his  intention 
to  communicate  with  all  ships  entering  the  bay.  For  the  German 
admiral's  further  information  Admiral  Dewey  told  him  that  if  Germany 
was  at  peace  with  the  United  States  the  German  naval  officers  would 
have  to  change  their  methods,  and  that  if  Germany  wTas  at  war  with 
his  nation  he  desired  to  know  it  at  once  in  order  that  he  might  act 
accordingly. 

With  little  delay  the  German  changed  his  point  of  view  and  manner 
of  conduct,  and  harmony  once  more  ruled  when  Dewey  said  the  word. 

Capture  of  the  Gunboat  Leyte. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  events  of  the  period  of  waiting  was  the 
capture  of  the  Spanish  gunboat  Leyte  which  came  to  Manila  bay  and 
chanced  capture,  because  that  was  the  only  escape  that  offered  from 
an  exceedingly  dangerous  position  elsewhere. 

About  4:30  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  June  29  the  Boston  sighted 
smoke  near  the  northern  shore  of  Manila  bay.  She  signaled  the  flag 
ship,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  order  was  signaled  to  the  McCulloch  to 
get  under  way  and  communicate  with  a  Spanish  steamer  bearing  north 
by  west.  The  McCulloch's  anchor  was  hastily  hove  up  and  the  vessel 
steamed  out  toward  the  distant  cloud  of  smoke.  The  stranger  was 
heading  for  Manila,  but  when  she  approached  the  foreign  man-of-war 


94  PREPARING  TO  TAKE  MANILA. 

anchorage  she  slowed  down.  On  the  McCulloch  there  was  great  ex 
citement.  This  move  was  interpreted  to  mean  that  the  Spaniard 
was  going  to  stand  and  fight  instead  of  attempting  to  run  into  the 
Manila  harbor.  General  quarters  was  sounded,  guns  were  manned, 
ammunition  was  hurriedly  got  up  and  everything  was  ready  for  the 
battle  that  all  felt  sure  was  to  follow.  The  Spanish  flag  by  this  time 
could  be  made  out  flying  from  the  staff  of  the  stranger.  Over  on 
one  side,  just  beyond  the  foreign  ship,  were  the  Manila  batteries  of  8- 
inch  and  6-inch  Krupp  guns,  and  the  distance  was  very  short  for  guns  of 
their  caliber  and  range.  It  was  felt  that  an  attempt  to  take  a  Spanish 
prize  under  the  Spanish  forts  would  precipitate  an  indignant  fire  from 
shore.  The  Spaniard  lay  waiting,  and  the  yellow  and  red  ensign 
flaunted  impudently  from  her  stern.  As  the  McCulloch  bore  down  on 
her  a  white  flag  appeared  at  the  Spaniard's  foremast.  A  half-mile 
away  the  officers  and  crews  of  the  German  and  other  foreign  ships  were 
looking  on  as  at  a  drama.  The  officers  of  the  American  ship  prepared 
to  send  a  boat  off  to  communicate  with  the  Spanish  ship,  but  a  pulling 
boat  in  the  meantime  had  left  the  gangway  ladder  of  the  latter.  A 
Spanish  officer  sat  in  the  stern,  and  when  he  reached  the  McCulloch 
there  was  a  reception  waiting  him  that  was  quite  Chesterfieldian.  Two 
side  boys  were  at  the  gangway  and  every  courtesy  due  to  the  rank  of  a 
captain  was  given  him.  He  was  very  nervous  and  perhaps  did  not  ex 
pect  the  kindly  greetings  that  awaited  him. 

His  name  was  Emmanuel  Peral,  and  his  vessel  was  the  gunboat 
Leyte,  and  there  were '183  Spaniards  on  her.  The  Spaniards  were  from 
Pampanga  province,  and  as  the  rebels  had  become  more  active  and  ag 
gressive  they  had  been  forced  to  leave  the  town  of  San  Fernando  and 
attempt  an  escape  down  the  Pampanga  river,  with  three  rafts,  or 
cascos,  in  tow,  and  800  fugitives  on  board  of  them.  Since  June  14 
they  had  been  trying  to  reach  the  bay,  but  the  rebels  had  harassed 
and  obstructed  them  until  nearly  all  of  the  fugitives  were  suffering 
from  sickness  and  hunger.  They  were  driven  to  desperation  when 
they  succeeded  in  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  river.  The  three  cas 
cos,  with  800  people  on  board,  were  left  behind,  and  the  Leyte  steamed 
across,  hoping  to  land  the  sick  in  Manila.  As  they  drew  up  toward 
the  harbor  the  McCulloch  was  seen  to  be  bearing  down  on  them. 
So  they  decided  to  surrender  and  make  no  further  attempt  to  reach 
the  Pasig,  although  they  easily  had  time  to  do  it.  Their  cannon  were 


PREPARING  TO  TAKE  MANILA.  96 

thrown  overboard,  so  that  no  suspicion  of  hostility  could  be  directed 
toward  them,  and  a  white  flag  was  run  up  at  the  fore. 

Prisoners  Were  Not  Wanted. 

Admiral  Dewey  offered  to  liberate  the  Spaniards  on  parole  and  send 
them  into  Manila,  but  this  was  refused  on  account  of  the  disinclination 
of  the  Spanish  authorities  in  Manila  to  take  paroled  prisoners.  Admiral 
Dewey  did  not  want  to  keep  them  as  American  prisoners,  and  the  Span 
iards  expressed  a  hope  that  if  they  were  kept  it  would  be  as  prisoners 
of  the  admiral  and  not  of  the  insurgents.  They  did  not  want  to  be 
turned  over  to  Aguinaldo.  Finally  it  was  determined  to  defer  action 
until  the  next  morning.  The  Leyte  lay  a  short  distance  astern  of  the 
Olympia,  where  Admiral  Dewey,  in  walking  the  quarterdeck,  could 
study  his  latest  capture.  The  Spaniards,  with  hardly  any  food  remain 
ing,  were  obliged  to  pass  the  night  on  their  ship.  When  asked  if  they 
needed  food  they  said  that  the  very  last  morsel  would  be  gone  by  morn 
ing.  Lieutenant  Ridgely  and  Captain  Peral  gave  them  two  bottles  of 
wine,  some  cheese  and  biscuits  and  a  few  packages  of  cigarettes. 

The  next  day  the  Leyte  was  taken  to  Cavite  and  the  prisoners 
disembarked.  Sick,  hungry  and  barefooted  soldiers,  mingled  with  hand 
some  officers  and  a  number  of  children  and  women,  made  up  the  discon 
solate,  disheartened  and  discouraged  passengers  of  the  little  gunboat. 
The  governor  of  Pampangas,  De  Marcelina  de  la  Mote  Velarde,  with  fine, 
clear  features  and  a  uniform  that  showed  how  much  it  had  been  worn 
during  the  last  few  days,  was  one  of  the  prisoners.  There  were  over 
twenty  officers,  and  every  one  carried  his  sword  and  small  arms.  There 
were  between  fifteen  and  twenty  women  and  a  few  children,  the  rest 
of  the  great  passenger  list  being  made  up  of  soldiers  and  sailors.  When 
the  ship  steamed  alongside  the  wharf  near  the  arsenal  twelve  marines 
under  Captain  Williams  were  landed.  These  men  were  marched  out  on 
the  dock  and  lined  up  in  two  parallel  columns,  six  in  each,  about 
twenty  feet  apart.  The  Spanish  soldiers,  lugging  their  heavy  knap 
sacks  and  rifles,  were  .drawn  up  in  line  between  the  American  marines. 
The  officers  were  allowed  to  stand  in  a  group  near  the  water  end  of  the 
landing  dock.  The  hold  of  the  ship  was  searched  and  all  the  stragglers 
brought  out.  Then  the  men  were  marched  a  few  hundred  feet  onward 
and  the  women  and  children,  the  sick  and  the  native  sailors  were  taken 


96  PREPARING   TO  TAKE   MANILA. 

off  the  yessel.  Great  piles  of  trunks  were  removed  and  two  heavy  strong 
boxes  of  silver  coin.  The  amount  in  these  boxes  was  said  to  be  about 
$10,000,  and  the  officers  claimed  that  it  was  personal  property.  This 
was  hardly  believed,  however.  Another  quantity  of  money  was  found, 
and  this  was  given  to  the  crew  in  payment  of  back  wages  by  order  of 
Admiral  Dewey. 

These  were  the  first  prisoners  taken  and  held  by  the  admiral.  The 
officers  expressed  themselves  as  preferring  to  be  American  prisoners 
with  something  to  eat  than  to  be  over  in  Manila.  They  knew  that  the 
fact  of  their  having  surrendered  their  ship  and  money  unnecessarily 
was  seen  in  Manila  and  that  they  would  be  shot  if  they  entered  the  city. 

Arrival  of  First  Troopships. 

It  was  on  June  30  that  the  first  of  the  transports  reached  Manila  bay. 
On  that  day  the  troopships  City  of  Peking,  City  of  Sydney  and  Australia 
arrived  from  San  Francisco  under  the  convoy  of  the  Charleston,  which 
had  made  the  trans-Pacific  voyage  with  them,  and  the  Baltimore  which 
had  been  sent  to  the  north  of  the  island  of  Luzon  to  meet  them.  After 
calling  at  Honolulu  they  had  touched  at  Guam  in  the  Ladrone  islands. 
Here  the  captain-general  had  surrendered  to  the  Charleston,  and  the 
officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Spanish  garrison  there  had  been  taken 
aboard  one  of  the  transports  as  prisoners. 

The  arrival  of  the  troopships  brought  great  rejoicing  to  the  Ameri 
can  fleet  and  dismay  to  the  people  of  Manila,  who  believed  that  an 
immediate  attack  would  be  made  on  the  city,  which  probably  was  to  be 
destroyed  by  bombardment.  The  transports  named  brought  General 
Thomas  M.  Anderson  of  the  United  States  army,  who  had  with  him 
four  companies  of  the  14th  infantry  of  the  regular  army  and  the  1st 
California  and  1st  Oregon  regiments  of  volunteers.  The  next  troop 
ships,  under  General  Frank  V.  Greene,  arrived  July  17;  General  Merritt 
himself  came  on  July  25,  and  when  General  MacArthur's  quota  arrived 
on  July  30  the  force  was  considered  complete,  though  it  has  been  re- 
enforced  often  since  that  time. 

Disembarkation  was  hastened  as  rapidly  as  possible  and  Cavite  be 
came  an  exceedingly  busy  place.  Drills  were  kept  up  faithfully  and 
the  men  were  prepared  for  whatever  emergency  might  arise.  General 
Anderson  requested  Aguinaldo  to  evacuate  Cavite,  as  there  was  not 


PREPARING   TO  TAKE  MANILA.  9f 

sufficient  room  in  the  town  for  our  own  troops,  and  the  Filipino  dic 
tator  removed  his  headquarters  to  Bakor,  just  across  the  bay  of  Bakor. 
At  this  place  Aguinaldo  called  together  a  number  of  natives  upon  whose 
loyalty  to  himself  he  could  depend  and  organized  a  provisional  gov 
ernment.  He  ceased  to  sign  himself  "dictator,"  and  appointed  a  "cabi 
net."  These  men  assumed  the  executive  authority  of  the  Filipino  re 
public,  but  Aguinaldo  remained,  as  before,  the  sole  power  in  the  Filipino 
camp. 

Manila  was  finally  fully  surrounded  by  the  rebel  troops,  and  fighting 
at  long  range  and  without  much  effect  went  on  every  night.  It  was 
impossible  for  the  insurgents  to  take  the  city  either  by  siege  or  by 
assault,  and  so  during  the  month  of  July  the  Spaniards  were  on  the 
defensive  against  the  natives.  The  troops  of  the  United  States  were 
advanced  from  Cavite  to  Paraiiaque,  only  a  short  distance  from  the 
walls  of  Manila,  and  preparations  were  made  by  the  United  States 
forces  for  compelling  the  surrender  of  the  city  to  General  Merritt. 

First  Engagement  of  American  Troops, 

The  first  clash  of  arms  between  Spanish  and  American  land  forces 
in  the  Philippines  resulted  in  the  killing  of  ten  Americans  and  the 
wounding  of  forty-three.  The  Spanish  loss  was  not  known.  The  con 
flict  occurred  late  in  the  night  of  July  31.  It  was  the  result  of  a  reported 
effort  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  to  flank  the  American  trenches  near 
Malate,  an  effort  which  failed,  if,  indeed,  it  was  ever  intended.  The 
fight  wras  a  vicious  one,  but  the  men  who  were  having  their  baptism  of 
fire  never  flinched.  They  showed  the  stuff  of  which  they  were  made, 
as  truly  as  they  did  two  weeks  later  when  Manila  was  the  objective 
point.  The  engagement  occurred  in  the  midst  of  a  driving  rain,  ac 
companying  a  furious  typhoon  which  had  been  raging  for  seveFSl  days 
and  the  conditions  were  peculiarly  trying. 

When  finally  the  men  of  the  three  fleets  of  troopships  were  disem 
barked  and  placed  in  position,  General  Merritt  calculated  that  the  time 
had  come  for  final  action.  He  had  about  8,500  men  ready  to  attack 
the  city  of  Manila.  He  and  Admiral  Dewey  united  in  a  joint  letter  to 
the  Spanish  commander-in-chief,  under  date  of  August  7,  notifying  him 
that  operations  might  begin  at  any  time  after  forty-eight  hours,  or 


98  PREPARING  TO  TAKE  MANILA. 

sooner  if  made  necessary  by  an  attack  on  bis  part,  and  that  all  non- 
combatants  should  therefore  be  removed  from  the  city. 

In  replying,  Governor-General  Jaudenes  said  in  part:  "As  your 
notice  is  sent  for  the  purpose  of  providing  for  the  safety  of  non-com 
batants,  I  give  thanks  to  your  excellencies  for  the  humane  sentiment 
you  have  shown,  and  state  that,  finding  myself  surrounded  by  insur 
rectionary  forces,  I  am  without  places  of  refuge  for  the  increased  num. 
ber  of  wounded,  sick,  women  and  children  who  are  now  lodged  within 
the  walls." 

Dewey  and  Merritt  Demand  Surrender. 

Two  days  later  a  second  letter  was  sent  to  the  captain-general  by 
Admiral  Dewey  and  General  Merritt,  reading  as  follows: 

"The  Governor-General  and  Captain-General  of  the  Philippines. 

"Sir:  The  inevitable  suffering  in  store  for  the  wounded,  sick, 
women  and  children,  in  the  event  that  it  becomes  our  duty  to  reduce  the 
defenses  of  the  walled  town  in  which  they  are  gathered,  will,  we  feel 
assured,  appeal  successfully  to  the  sympathies  of  a  general  capable  of 
making  the  determined  and  prolonged  resistance  which  your  excel 
lency  has  exhibited  after  the  loss  of  your  naval  forces  and  without  hope 
of  succor. 

"We  therefore  submit,  without  prejudice  to  the  high  sentiments  of 
honor  and  duty  which  your  excellency  entertains,  that,  surrounded  on 
every  side  as  you  are  by  a  constantly  increasing  force,  with  a  powerful 
fleet  in  your  front  and  deprived  of  all  prospect  of  reinforcement  and 
assistance,  a  most  useless  sacrifice  of  life  would  result  in  the  event  of 
an  attack,  and  therefore  every  consideration  of  humanity  makes  it 
imperative  that  you  should  not  subject  your  city  to  the  horrors  of  a 
bombardment.  Accordingly,  we  demand  the  surrender  of  the  city  of 
Manila  and  the  Spanish  forces  under  your  command." 

As  the  time  approached  marking  the  expiration  of  the  forty-eight- 
hour  respite  granted  to  Manila  by  General  Merritt  and  Admiral  Dewey 
before  the  attack  the  enthusiasm  on  the  ships  was  tremendous.  Men  on 
the  sick  list  begged  to  be  taken  off  and  those  who  were  unfit  for  heavy 
work  asked  to  be  assigned  to  lighter  duties.  Men  who  would  have  been 


PREPARING  TO  TAKE  MANILA.  99 

hopelessly  ill  if  the  ship  was  to  be  coaled  now  developed  wonderful 
vitality  and  convalescence.  A  few  thoughtful  veterans  got  their  fare 
well  letters  written,  but  the  great  majority  prepared  for  a  picnic. 

When  the  Battle  Was  Expected. 

It  was  announced  that  the  navy  and  army  would  get  under  head 
way  Wednesday  noon,  August  10.  General  orders  were  issued  and  the 
refuge  ships  and  foreign  war  vessels  anchored  off  the  city  began  to 
move  awray  to  positions  of  safety.  Ten  or  twelve  refuge  ships  thronged 
with  women  and  children  from  Manila  were  taken  down  to  Mariveles 
bay.  The  foreign  war  vessels  moved  out  of  range.  The  German 
admiral  sent  word  asking  Admiral  Dewey  where  he  should  anchor, 
and  was  told  that  he  might  anchor  any  place  he  chose  so  long  as  he 
was  not  in  range.  Then  came  a  curious  thing.  The  English  ships — 
the  Immortalite,  Iphigenia,  Pygmy  and  Plover — and  the  Japanese  ship, 
the  Naniwa,  steamed  over  and  joined  the  American  ships  at  their 
anchorage  off  Cavite.  The  German  and  French  worships  withdrew  in 
an  opposite  direction  until  they  were  well  out  of  range.  There  could 
hardly  have  been  a  more  eloquent  exposition  of  the  sympathetic  lean 
ings  of  the  different  nations,  and  the  English,  American  and  Japanese 
alliance  which,  had  been  so  frequently  mentioned  seemed  a  reality  in 
Manila  bay. 

At  9  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  August  10  all  was  suppressed  excite 
ment.  The  ships  were  stripped  and  only  the  work  of  taking  down  the 
awnings  remained.  This  was  soon  done  and  full  steam  pressure  was 
raised  for  the  work  of  turning  the  heavy  screws. 

Shortly  before  10  o'clock  General  Merritt  came  aboard  and  asked 
for  a  delay,  stating  that  the  army  was  not  ready.  The  disappointment 
that  this  caused  was  extreme  and  the  line  drawn  between  the  navy  and 
army  was  never  more  sharp  and  vivid.  The  last  dispatches  had  indi 
cated  that  peace  was  so  imminent  that  already  every  ship  that  came 
into  the  bay  was  apprehensively  regarded  as  a  probable  bearer  of  the 
unwelcome  news  that  hostilities  should  cease.  To  those  who  had  lived 
on  shipboard  for  months  just  in  sight  of  the  city  lights  the  thought, 
of  being  denied  the  pleasure  of  riding  up  and  down  the  Luneta  was 
something  very  trying. 

The  fleet  was  signaled  to  bank  fires  and  the  commanders  and  cap- 


100  PREPARING  TO  TAKE  MANILA. 

tains  were  told  that  twenty-four  hours'  notice  would  be  given  before  a 
general  movement  would  be  made.  The  Baltimore  then  began  coaling 
from  the  Cyrus,  and  the  situation  seemed  to  have  relaxed  from  the 
critical  to  the  commonplace  routine  of  the  old  blockading  days. 

On  Friday,  August  12,  orders  were  sent  out  for  all  ships  to  pre 
pare  to  get  under  way  at  9  o'clock  the  following  morning.  The  army 
was  ready. 


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CHAPTER   v. 
MEBKITT  AND  DEWEY  CAPTURE  MANILA. 

Approach  of  the  Time  when  Waiting  Was  to  End — Efforts  to  Obtain  a  Sur 
render  Without  an  Engagement  Fail — Story  of  the  Battle  of  August 
13 — Dramatic  and  Picturesque  Features  of  the  Assault  on  the  Forti 
fications — Taking  Possession  of  the  City — The  Part  Played  by  the 
Navy — Captured  Spanish  Gunboats  Distinguish  Themselves — Organ 
izing  the  New  Regime  in  Manila — Waiting  for  the  Declaration  of 
Peace. 

The  most  concise  story  of  the  taking  of  Manila  is  that  included  in  the 
official  report  cabled  by  General  Merritt  to  the  war  department  at 
Washington.  It  read  as  follows: 

"Hong  Kong,  August  18. — Adjutant-General,  Washington:  Manila, 
August  13.— On  the  7th  inst.  Admiral  Dewey  joined  me  in  a  forty-eight- 
hour  notification  to  the  Spanish  commander  to  remove  non-combatants 
from  the  city.  On  the  same  date  a  reply  was  received  expressing  thanks 
for  the  humane  sentiments,  and  stating  that  the  Spanish  were  without 
places  of  refuge  for  non-combatants  now  within  the  walled  town.  On 
the  9th  inst.  we  sent  a  joint  note  inviting  attention  to  suffering  in  store 
for  the  sick  and  uon-combatants  in  case  it  became  our  duty  to  reduce 
the  defenses,  also  setting  forth  the  hopeless  condition  of  the  Spanish 
forces,  surrounded  on  all  sides,  with  a  fleet  in  front  and  no  prospect  of 
re-enforcements,  and  demanded  surrender  as  due  to  every  consideration 
of  humanity.  On  the  same  date  we  received  a  reply  admitting  their 
situation,  but  stating  the  council  of  defense  declared  the  request  for 
surrender  could  not  be  granted,  but  offered  to  consult  the  government 
if  time  was  granted  necessary  for  communication  via  Hong  Kong.  A 
joint  note  was  sent  in  reply  declining.  On  the  13th  joined  with  the  navy 
in  attack,  with  the  following  result:  After  about  half  an  hour's  accu 
rate  shelling  of  the  Spanish  lines,  Mac  Arthur's  brigade,  on  the  right,  and 
Greene's  on  the  left,  under  Anderson,  made  a  vigorous  attack  and  car 
ried  the  Spanish  works.  Loss  not  accurately  known — about  fifty  in  all. 

103 


104  MERRITT  AND   DEWET   CAPTURE   MANILA. 

Behavior  of  troops  excellent;  co-operation  of  the  navy  most  valuable- 
Troops  advanced  rapidly  on  walled  city,  upon  which  a  white  flag  was 
shown,  and  the  town  capitulated.  Troops  occupy  Malate,  Binondo  and 
the  walled  city  of  San  Miguel.  All  important  centers  protected.  Insur 
gents  kept  out.  No  disorder  nor  pillage. 

"MERRITT." 

Just  Before  the  Capture  of  the  City. 

The  facts  are  there  but  the  details  are  not.  The  details  themselves 
were  highly  interesting.  The  Spaniards  knew  they  were  whipped  weeks 
before  the  battle.  There  was  nothing  to  be  expected  from  their  long  and 
stubborn  obstinacy  except  the  possibility  that  peace  might  be  declared 
before  the  Americans  had  captured  the  city.  They  wrere  hemmed  in  on 
the  south  and  the  sea  by  the  American  troops  and  by  the  insurgents  on 
the  east  and  north.  For  more  than  three  months  little  food  had  been 
received,  and  they  had  been  gradually  reduced  to  tinned  meats  and  then 
to  rice  and  grain.  Business  was  choked  to  a  standstill  and  one  by  one 
the  shops  were  closed.  The  only  places  that  thrived  were  the  cafe's, 
which  daily  held  their  throngs  of  Spanish  officers  cursing  their  misfor 
tune  and  heaping  their  wrath  on  the  Americans  and  the  natives  for 
obvious  reasons;  on  the  Englis  because  of  the  latter's  sympathy  with 
the  United  States;  on  the  Germans  because  no  help  was  given  and  on 
Spain  because  she  had  apparently  deserted  them.  The  water  works 
then  fell  into  the  hands  of  Aguinaldo's  men  and  no  water  came  to  rid 
the  town  of  its  stenches  and  bring  relief  to  the  sick.  Sickness  came  on 
quickly  with  the  stopping  of  the  water  supply,  the  hospitals  were  filled 
and  then  the  churches,  and  finally  other  public  buildings.  Over  3,000 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers  were  in  the  walled  city  when  it  fell.  The 
sanitation  was  wretched,  and  the  prolonged  diet  of  rice  and  coarse  foods 
told  fearfully  on  the  delicate  stomachs  of  the  sick.  A  sentiment  in  favor 
of  surrender  sprang  up.  Captain-General  Augustin  was  convinced  of 
the  folly  of  further 'resistance.  The  archbishop,  who  had  always  been 
regarded  as  the  most  bitterly  opposed  to  submission,  was  said  to  have 
favored  it  from  the  first.  Madrid  routed  Augustin  and  appointed  Gen 
eral  Jaudenes  his  military  successor  because  the  latter  was  understood 
to  favor  fighting  for  his  beloved  flag  and  mother  country  as  long  as  a 
drop  of  blood  flowed  in  his  subordinates'  veins.  The  newspapers  printed 


&ERRITT  AND   DEWEY   CAPTURE   MANILA.  105 

fearful  things  about  the  Americans  and  rioted  in  the  most  shameless 
fabrication  of  official  telegrams.  The  soldiers  had  been  deceived  into 
believing  that  a  fleet  from  Spain  was  expected  for  over  a  month,  and 
each  detachment  of  American  troopships  was  heralded  as  the  long- 
expected  relief  expedition  until  they  were  seen  to  join  the  ships  of  the 
admiral's  fleet. 

Negotiations  for  Surrender. 

A  feeling  of  discontent  spread  among  the  soldiers,  and  Admiral 
Dewey,  acting  through  the  Belgian  consul,  Mr.  Edward  Andre',  as  in 
termediary,  began  a  series  of  communications  with  Governor  Augustin 
which  promised  to  result  in  the  peaceful  transfer  of  the  Philippines 
without  bloodshed.  The  admiral  believed  that  such  a  transfer  could  be 
accomplished,  and  he  hoped  that  by  delaying  until  an  overwhelming 
force  arrived  the  Spaniards  would  submit  and  the  American  forces  es 
cape  without  losing  a  single  man.  At  any  time  he  could  have  taken 
the  city.  Had  it  been  necessary  to  make  a  move  it  may  be  certain 
that  he  would  have  made  it  without  waiting  a  moment.  But  acting 
on  the  belief  that  the  same  result  could  be  obtained  by  diplomacy 
and  patience,  and  feeling  that  there  was  no  immediate  hurry  before  the 
Monterey  arrived,  he  was  gradually  reaching  a  satisfactory  understand 
ing  with  the  Spanish  authorities. 

General  Greene,  at  this  nervous  crisis,  when  the  scales  were  waver 
ing,  crowded  his  lines  up  against  the  Spanish  works  at  Malate  and  pre 
cipitated  the  general  night  fight  of  July  31,  in  which  the  ultimate  death 
list  reached  a  dozen,  writh  a  long  roll  of  wounded.  At  that  time  it 
seemed  that  the  admiral  would  be  forced  to  act  with  sledge-hammer 
aggressiveness,  but  he  still  clung  to  the  hope  that  the  city  could  be 
taken  by  diplomatic  negotiations  and  a  general  attack  avoided. 

On  the  night  of  August  1  another  American  was  killed  in  the 
trenches  and  two  more  were  wounded.  The  American  troops  were 
ordered  not  to  answer  the  Spanish  firing  unless  the  Spaniards  came  out 
to  storm  the  trenches,  which  to  any  one  familiar  with  the  conditions 
was  very  improbable.  There  was  a  general  feeling  that  the  advancing 
of  our  troops  had  been  an  unwise  move,  because  nothing  was  gained 
by  it  which  could  not  have  been  easily  gained  at  any  later  time  should 
the  necessity  arise.  Night  after  night  the  killing  continued — one  or 


10G  MERRITT   AND    DEWEY   CAPTURE    MANILA. 

two  or  three  a  night,  until  the  little  bamboo  and  acacia  and  mango 
trees  in  the  convent  yard  at  Maricaban  waved  over  nearly  a  score  of 
new-made  graves. 

Then  began  the  exchange  of  correspondence  between  the  American 
and  Spanish  commanders,  ending  with  the  demand  for  surrender  which 
was  made  and  refused.  Saturday,  August  13,  was  the  day  of  the  taking 
of  Manila. 

Plan  of  the  Day's  Fighting. 

The  army  was  divided  into  two  brigades.  General  Greene  had  the 
2d  brigade  and  his  men  were  strung  along  on  the  extreme  right  extend 
ing  to  the  beach.  As  his  advance  fighting  line  he  had  the  Utah  light 
artillery,  with  Captains  Grant  and  Young;  the  1st  Colorado,  under 
Colonel  Irving  Hale,  and  a  battalion  of  the  3d  artillery.  The  last- 
named,  although  in  the  firing  line,  was  not  under  fire.  Back  of  the 
firing  line,  in  immediate  support,  was  the  2d  battalion  of  the  1st  Cal 
ifornia,  under  Colonel  Smith  and  Major  Siine.  As  reserves  there  were 
the  18th  United  States  infantry,  1st  California,  1st  Nebraska,  10th 
Pennsylvania  and  a  battalion  of  United  States  engineers. 

The  1st  brigade,  under  General  Mac  Arthur,  further  inland,  was 
distributed  in  a  similar  manner  as  firing  line  and  reserves.  The  Astor 
battery,  13th  Minnesota  and  23d  infantry  were  in  front,  with  one 
battalion  of  the  14th  infantry,  two  battalions  of  the  1st  North  Dakota, 
twro  battalions  of  the  1st  Idaho  and  one  battalion  of  the  1st  Wyoming  as 
reserves  and  support. 

The  Spanish  line  of  defenses  consisted  of  a  continuous  intrench- 
ment,  broken  by  three  strongholds — the  fort  at  Malate,  blockhouse  14 
and  the  fortified  English  cemetery.  General  Greene's  brigade  was 
to  attack  and  take  the  first  and  strongest,  while  General  MacArthur's 
brigade  was  to  attack  the  blockhouse  and  cemetery.  The  entire  field 
of  operations  covered  little  more  than  a  square  mile,  but  the  Amer 
icans  had  a  fearful  country  to  fight  in.  Barb-Avire  fences,  bamboo 
jungles,  paddy  fields,  swamps,  streams  and  sharpened  pickets  had  to 
be  passed  before  reaching  the  Spanish  line.  The  taking  of  the  trenches 
and  fort  at  Malate  by  the  1st  Colorado  was  the  most  brilliant  and 
spectacular  act  of  the  day,  but  a  savage  ambuscade  over  at  Singalon, 
near  blockhouse  14,  was  the  most  deadly,  for  four  men  were  killed 
in  the  Astor  battery  and  13th  Minnesota  and  23d  infantry,  while  nearly 


MERRITT   AND    DEWEY   CAPTURE    MANILA.  107 

thirty  were  wounded.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  timely  advance  of  the 
13th  Minnesota  and  23d  artillery  the  Astor  battery  would  have  been 
almost  wiped  out. 

Beginning  the  Advance  on  Manila. 

Early  in  the  morning  the  two  brigades  began  the  advance  from 
Camp  Dewey.  Every  man  carried  rations  for  one  day  and  went  in  light 
inarching  order.  The  story  told  by  Major  Bell  of  the  bureau  of  in 
formation,  who  acted  as  one  of  General  Greene's  aids  during  the  day, 
gives  a  good  idea  of  the  operations  of  the  2d  brigade.  The  men  in  the 
camp  were  up  at  5  o'clock,  ready  for  the  start. 

General  Babcock  arrived  from  the  Newport  soon  after  the  main 
body  of  troops  had  advanced  from  the  camp,  and  he  and  Major  Bell 
followed  on  horseback,  soon  passing  the  troops.  Major  Bell,  sheltered 
by  clumps  of  bamboo,  crept  up  from  the  farthest  American  trench, 
where  the  Utah  artillery,  the  1st  Colorado  and  a  battalion  of  the  3d 
artillery  were  waiting  the  order  to  attack,  along  the  beach  to  a  position 
barely  500  yards  from  the  fort  at  Malate,  to  make  a  reconnoissance  of 
the  Spanish  guns.  Two  days  before  he  had  done  the  same  and  had  re 
ported  that  one  of  the  Spanish  guns  had  been  removed.  On  this  later 
reconnoissance  it  was  his  object  to  determine  where  that  gun  had  been 
placed. 

Orders  were  then  given  for  four  companies  of  the  1st  Colorado 
to  begin  an  advance.  Two  companies,  C  and  D,  were  sent  out  in  front 
of  the  trenches,  and  two  others,  I  and  K,  were  sent  along  the  beach 
under  cover  of  the  fire  of  Companies  C  and  D.  As  C  and  D  took  their 
places  out  in  a  skirmish  line  in  front  of  the  trench,  I  and  K,  advanc 
ing  from  the  rear  of  the  trenches,  proceeded  along  in  the  surf  at  the 
beach,  wading  an  intervening  stream  and  boldly  entering  the  fort. 
Companies  C  and  D  fell  in  behind;  then  came  the  2d  battalion  of  the 
1st  California,  under  Colonel  Smith  and  Major  Sime,  who  were  in  reserve 
behind  the  firing  line,  but  who  advanced  directly  behind  the  Colorado 
troops. 

A  Race  for  the  Spanish  Colors, 

Major  Bell  was  ahead  of  the  Colorado  soldiers,  bent  on  reaching 
the  fort  first  to  take  down  the  Spanish  flag,  but,  the  Spanish  opening 


108  MERRITT  AND   DEWEY   CAPTURE   MANILA. 

fire  from  their  intrenchments,  he  was  called  back  to  allow  the  Colo- 
rados  to  fire  several  volleys.  This  cost  him  the  flag,  for  Colonel  McCoy 
and  Adjutant  Brooks,  in  the  van  of  their  troops,  reached  the  Spanish 
position,  dashed  over  the  trenches,  followed  by  a  rushing  mass  of  Colo 
rado  men,  plunged  into  the  old  fort  and  took  down  the  Spanish  flag  and 
hauled  up  the  American.  Just  behind  the  Colorado  men  came  the 
regimental  band,  wading  the  stream  and  playing  their  instruments 
with  wonderful  persistence  and  questionable  harmony.  The  band  made 
the  hit  of  the  day.  The  Colorado  troops  then  began  an  advance  toward 
the  city,  but  the  1st  California,  by  not  stopping  at  the  fort,  had  passed 
them  and  were  carrying  everything  before  them  in  a  rush  through 
Malate,  with  the  Spaniards  retreating  in  broken  order  and  firing  from 
dooryards  and  windows  and  from  the  protection  of  houses.  A  heavy 
fire  met  the  1st  Colorados  after  passing  the  fort  and  seemed  to  come 
from  the  marshes  over  to  the  right  of  the  road.  It  was  in  this  fire  that 
Charles  Phoenix  of  Company  I  was  killed  and  several  others  were 
wounded. 

Taking  Care  of  the  Insurgents. 

The  four  companies  of  the  1st  California  proceeded  on  through  the 
Calle  Real  in  Malate,  Colonel  Smith  dropping  guards  at  every  house 
flying  the  English  flag,  to  protect  it  from  the  insurgents,  who  were 
scrambling  along  in  the  wake  of  the  Californians'  victorious  advance. 
The  insurgents  were  firing  as  they  came  along.  It  was  here  that 
Major  Jones  of  the  transportation  department  and  Interpreter  Finlay 
distinguished  themselves.  The  insurgent  firing  had  become  hot  for 
even  the  Americans,  and  Major  Jones  took  an  American  flag,  planted 
himself  in  the  middle  of  the  road  and  with  drawn  revolver  stopped  the 
entire  advance  of  the  insurgents. 

Captain  O'Connor,  with  a  small  guard,  advanced  to  the  very  city 
walls  in  the  face  of  large  bodies  of  Spanish  soldiers  and  posted  himself 
on  the  Puente  Espafia,  the  principal  bridge  of  the  city,  leading  from 
the  business  section  to  the  walled  city. 

The  Californians  advanced  to  the  road  leading  around  the  walled 
city  and  intercepted  the  insurgents  who  were  flocking  in  along  the  road 
from  Santa  Afia.  The  latter  were  firing  on  the  retreating  Spaniards, 
and  the  Californians  came  in  direct  line  of  the  fire.  The  Spaniards 
were  returning  the  insurgent  fire,  and  the  Americans  were  between 


MERRITT   AND    DEWEY    CAPTURE    MANILA.  101) 

the  ttto  forces.  It  was  here  that  Private  Dunmore  of  Company  B,  1st 
California,  was  killed  and  H.  Ammerson  wounded.  The  California 
men  held  their  fire,  and  by  doing  so  avoided  a  general  conflict  which 
would  have  been  as  disastrous  as  it  would  have  been  useless.  The  in- 
surgent  advance  was  stopped.  Colonel  Smith  then  advanced  to  the 
roads  leading  from  Paco  and  stopped  another  troop  of  insurgents  who 
were  attempting  to  enter  the  walled  city.  One  pompous  insurgent  in 
a  gorgeous  uniform  announced  that  they  were  going  on,  but  when 
Major  Bell  drew  his  revolver  and  threatened  to  kill  any  one  attempting 
to  pass,  the  insurgent  officer  became  submissive  and  polite.  The  Ameri 
cans  then  formed  in  line  and  forced  the  insurgents  up  the  street  and 
into  a  side  street.  They  next  attempted  to  get  in  by  another  street,  but 
wrere  forestalled. 

General  Greene  Enters  the  City. 

General  Greene  came  up  under  a  scattering  fire  with  Ms  staff  and 
met  a  Spanish  official  who  awaited  him  at  one  of  the  gates  of  the  city. 
The  general  entered  the  city  alone  with  the  Spaniards  aud  the  arrange 
ments  for  the  occupation  were  made.  Over  to  the  north  of  the  city  there 
was  hot  fighting  between  the  insurgents  and  tlie  Spaniards,  but  the 
latter  held  them  back.  The  Spaniards  in  those  trenches  remained  at 
their  guns,  resisting  the  insurgents,  until  7  P.  M.  the  following  day, 
and  were  among  the  last  who  gave  up  their  arms.  They  complained  at 
being  compelled  to  fight  after  the  city  had.  surrendered. 

General  MacArthur's  brigade  was  having  a  hot  fight  over  in  the 
Singalon  district  The  Spanish  deserted  their  trenches  at  the  advance 
of  the  Americans,  but  retreated  to  dense  clumps  of  bamboos  and  am 
buscaded  the  Americans  as  the  latter  advanced.  In  was  in  this  ambus 
cade  that  August  Thollen  of  the  23d  infantry,  Sergeants  Cremins  and 
Holmes  of  the  Astor  battery  and  Archie  Patterson  of  the  13th  Min 
nesota  were  killed  and  a  great  number  wounded.  The  Minnesota  men, 
the  Astor  battery  and  the  23d  infawtry  did  brilliant  work  in  this  sec 
tion,  and  their  record  in  the  fight  is  the  most  brilliant  of  the  day. 

As  MacArthur's  brigade  in  regular  order  swept  the  Spaniards  out 
of  blockhouse  No.  14  and  the  English  cemetery,  driving  them  back,  th» 
brigade  fell  in  behind  General  Greene's  brigade  and  entered  Malate 
from  the  east. 


110  MEREITT   AND    DEWEY    CAPTURE    MANILA. 


The  Battle  as  Seen  from  the  Bay. 

At  9  o'clock  sharp  the  Olympia's  engines  began  to  throb,  a«d  as 
the  flagship  moved  slowly  forward  the  national  ensign  floated  from  all 
mastheads. 

The  Charleston,  which  had  been  lying  near  Malate  for  several  days, 
steamed  slowly  over  and  joined  the  squadron,  and  a  few  minutes  more 
saw  the  Olympia,  Baltimore,  Monterey,  Charleston,  Boston,  Petrel, 
Kaleigh,  McCulloch,  Gallao,  Barcelo,  Zafiro  and  the  Kwonghoi  bear 
ing  off  toward  Malate.  It  was  a  magnificent  sight.  When  the  Olympia 
passed  the  Immortality  the  band  on  the  latter  struck  up  a  few  bars  of 
"See,  the  Conquering  Hero  Comes,"  swung  into  the  swell  of  "Star- 
Spangled  Banner"  and  then  broke  into  the  lively,  inspiriting  "El  Capi- 
tan."  It  was  great.  As  the  American  ships  left  the  ships  in  the  Cavite 
anchorage  the  Immortality  and  Iphigenia  got  under  way,  and,  steam 
ing  swiftly  across  to  the  German  and  French  ships,  took  up  their  sta 
tions  directly  between  the  German  flagship  and  Admiral  Dewrey's  ships. 
The  German  admiral  as  promptly  got  under  way,  and  took  a  place  in 
line  with  the  Englishmen.  It  wras  only  an  incident,  but  the  significance 
of  the  British  move  was  tremendously  apparent. 

Navy  Begins  Its   Share  of  the  Work. 

At  4,000  yards  the  order  came  to  commence  firing  when  ready,  and 
at  9:35  o'clock  the  Olympia  opened  with  a  6-pouuder,  and  almost 
simultaneously  one  of  the  forward  8-inch  guns  crashed  and  every 
glass  was  turned  toward  the  target.  The  shots  fell  short,  due  to  a 
mistake  in  the  range,  which  was  caused  by  a  miragic  effect,  making  the 
shore  line  appear  closer.  The  order  was  then  given  to  get  the  5-inch 
guns  ready,  and  the  range  was  made  for  4,200  yards.  Two  5-inch  guns 
from  Ensign  Taylor's  battery  blazed  out,  then  one  of  Stokely  Morgan's 
8-inch  forward  guns  and  then  another  5-inch  gun.  Then  came  the  order 
to  cease  firing. 

Up  to  this  time — 9:50  o'clock — the  Spaniards  had  not  returned 
the  fire,  and  it  was  suspected  that  they  were  reserving  it  for  a  closer 
range,  or  else,  as  appeared  probable,  the  fort  had  been  deserted.  The 
Raleigh  and  Petrel  had  joined  in,  the  Raleigh's  magnificent  battery  of 


MERRITT   AND    DEWEY    CAPTURE    MANILA.  Ill 

rapid  fire  5-inch  guns  and  the  Petrel's  G-inch  guns  plowing  holes  in  the 
landscape  and  altering  the  sky  line  of  the  fort. 

At  9:50  o'clock  the  army,  which  was  advancing  toward  the  fort, 
began  firing,  and  the  smoke  from  their  volleys  hung  in  white  clouds 
over  their  position.  Five  minutes  later  there  was  almost  incessant 
firing  from  the  army,  and  masses  of  white  smoke  were  seen  leaping  out 
from  the  fort  and  the  Spanish  trenches  in  answer.  At  3,500  yards  the 
order  was  given  again  on  the  Olympia  to  commence  firing,  and  at  10 
o'clock  she  opened  again,  but  the  shots  fell  short  and  to  the  right.  The 
rain  now  began  to  fall  in  a  steady  drizzle,  and  the  Admiral  and  Lieu 
tenant  Brumby  put  on  raincoats,  the  former  changing  his  naval  cap  for 
a  cloth  traveling  cap. 

Work  of  the  Captured  Gunboats. 

At  10  o'clock  the  Callao,  very  close  in  shore  moving  along 
parallel  with  the  army's  advance,  was  raking  the  Spanish  trenches 
with  a  deadly  fire  from  the  machine  guns.  Lieutenant  Tappan  was 
doing  wonderful  work  with  the  little  gunboat,  and  several  Spanish 
volleys  were  fired  on  him  as  the  vessel  advanced.  A  number  of  bullets 
struck  her,  but  no  one  was  hurt,  and  she  kept  up  a  steady  grind 
ing  out  from  her  Nordenfeldt  and  Hotchkiss.  The  little  Barcelo,  close 
behind,  was  pumping  her  machine  guns  in  with  magnificent  effective 
ness.  Like  the  little  Petrel  in  the  battle  of  May  1,  the  Callao  and 
Barcelo  seemed  to  be  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  and  on  account  of  their 
nearness  to  shore  to  be  most  aggressive  and  daring. 

From  the  Olympia  the  movements  of  the  land  forces  now  became 
distinguishable.  Where  a  few  moments  before  their  position  was 
marked  only  by  the  smoke  which  rose  above  the  trees  from  the  bat 
teries  and  volley  firing,  now  it  was  plainly  seen  that  a  great  number  of 
soldiers  were  boldly  advancing  up  the  open  beach  and  straggling  for 
ward  in  the  heavy  surf.  It  was  a  gallant  sight  to  see  the  long  line 
of  brown  uniforms  streaming  up  the  beach,  some  wraist  deep  in  the  surf 
dashing  out  along  the  unprotected  strip  of  sand  which  lay  between 
them  and  the  old  fort,  where  the  Spanish  guns  were  expected  to  blaze 
out  any  minute  in  their  faces.  A  scattering  fire  came  from  the  Spanish 
trenches,  and  at  10:45  o'clock  the  troops  on  the  beach  stopped  and 
answered  with  three  volleys. 


112  MERRITT  AND    DEWEY   CAPTURE    MANILA. 

Admiral  Dewey  Pays  a   Compliment. 

When  they  crossed  the  little  stream  about  200  yards  in  front  of  the 
fort,  holding  their  guns  high  in  the  air  to  keep  them  from  being  soaked, 
with  the  regimental  flag  and  national  ensign  flying  bravely  at  the  front, 
with  their  regimental  band  valiantly  following  and  playing  for  dear  life, 
there  were  thousands  of  eyes  watching  them  from  the  ships  with  silent, 
almost  breathless,  anxiety.  Slowly  they  drew  nearer  the  fort,  with  the 
Mausers  spattering  along  before  them  and  the  band  playing.  The  Ad 
miral  said  that  it  was  the  most  gallant  advance  he  had  ever  seen.  The 
Colorado  regimental  band  was  playing  "There'll  Be  a  Hot  Time  in  the 
Old  Town  To-night." 

Just  before  the  troops  reached  the  powder  magazine  there  was  a 
tremendous  explosion  and  a  dense  column  of  black  smoke  sprang  up 
behind  the  fort.  It  was  thought  that  a  mine  concealed  in  the  road  had 
been  exploded.  The  smoke  hung  in  the  air  and  it  was  seen  that  the 
explosion  was  followed  by  a  fire.  The  fort  was  now  deep  in  smoke  from 
other  explosions  and  the  Spanish  firing. 

As  the  troops  advanced  along  the  beach  and  approached  nearer 
the  fort  the  army  signaled  the  fleet  to  cease  firing.  The  fort  was  still 
silent. 

At  10:58  a  storm  of  cheers  broke  out  from  the  Olympia,  for  the 
soldiers  had  passed  the  zone  of  fire  and  were  clambering  over  the 
Spanish  trenches  and  swarming  into  the  fort.  Hardly  a  moment  passed 
before  the  yellow  and  red  flag  was  seen  to  be  coming  down,  and  the 
next  minute  the  American  flag  was  raised  in  its  place. 

Preparing  for  the  Surrender. 

This  was  evidently  the  time  agreed  upon  for  the  city  to  surrender, 
for  an  order  was  at  once  given  by  the  Admiral  to  fly  our  international 
.signal,  "Do  you  surrender?"  At  11  o'clock  it  was  fluttering  from  the 
forward  signal  halyards  of  the  flagship.  With  the  hoisting  of  this  sig 
nal  came  a  general  shifting  of  the  positions  of  the  fleet,  and  all  the 
vessels,  with  the  exception  of  the  Callao,  Concord  and  Barcelo,  took 
their  positions  before  the  heavy  batteries  of  Manila.  The  Monterey 
steamed  to  a  very  close  range  and  waited.  Every  gun  in  the  fleet  that 
rould  be  trained  in  that  direction  was  pointed  on  the  Manila  guns.  If 


MERRITT  AND    DEWEY    CAPTURE    MANILA.  113 

any  one  of  those  four  9.2-inch  Hontoria  guns  had  let  loose  at  least  n 
hundred  shells  would  have  been  launched  in  on  them  in  less  time  than 
it  takes  to  read  about  it. 

A  huge  Spanish  flag  was  floating  bravely  over  the  city  walls  near 
one  of  the  heavy  batteries  and  it  did  not  seem  to  come  down  with  any 
particular  haste.  Nearly  every  one  was  watching  that  gorgeous  piece  of 
bunting  and  hoping  that  it  would  be  lowered,  but  in  its  persistent 
waving  there  was  certainly  no  indication  of  surrender  or  weakening. 

The  Zafiro,  with  General  Merritt,  approached  the  Olympia,  and 
as  if  by  a  preconcerted  agreement  the  flagship  signaled  that  Flag 
Lieutenant  Brumby  would  report  on  board  the  Zafiro.  At  11:45  the 
Admiral  left  the  bridge  to  meet  Consul  Andr£,  the  Belgian  representa 
tive,  whose  launch  had  just  reached  the  flagship.  Lieutenant  Brumby 
took  the  largest  American  flag  on  the  ship  and  went  aboard  the  launch. 
General  Whittier  of  General  Merritt's  staff  came  over  from  the  Zafiro 
in  a  pulling  boat,  and  also  \vent  aboard  the  launch  Trueno.  A  few 
minutes  later  the  launch  steamed  away  toward  Manila,  1,500  yards 
away. 

At  12  o'clock  the  international  signal  "C.  F.  L.,"  meaning  "hold 
conference,"  was  hoisted  over  the  city  walls. 

Then  followed  a  long  wait.  The  officers  and  men  on  the  ships  had 
dinner,  the  guns  were  kept  trained  on  the  Manila  batteries,  and  the 
big  Spanish  flag  still  swung  in  the  breezes  above  the  beleaguered  city. 

Soon  after  2  o'clock  the  Belgian  consul's  boat  was  seen  to  be  re 
turning.  This  seemed  to  mean  that  an  agreement  had  not  been  reached, 
for  the  presence  of  the  Spanish  colors  certainly  did  not  look  like 
capitulation. 

When  the  Good  News  Came. 

At  2:33  o'clock  Lieutenant  Brumby,  climbing  up  the  sea  ladder  to 
the  Olympia's  quarterdeck,  called  out  to  the  Admiral:  "Well,  they've 
surrendered  all  right." 

The  Admiral  quickly  answered,  "Why  don't  they  haul  down  that 
flag?" 

"They'll  do  that  as  soon  as  Merritt  gets  600  or  700  men  in  there  to 
protect  them,"  explained  Lieutenant  Brumby. 

The  Admiral  then  said:  "Well,  you  go  over  and  tell  General  Mer 
ritt  that  I  agree  to  anything." 


114  MEBRITT   AND    DEWEY    CAPTURE    MANILA. 

As  the  news  passed  that  the  city  had  surrendered,  the  rigging  was 
manned  and  tremendous  cheers  broke  out  over  the  dull  sea.  All  the 
ships  of  the  fleet  were  cheering  as  the  news  was  signaled. 

At  5:45  the  Spanish  flag  in  the  city  was  seen  slowly  coming  down, 
and  a  minute  later  the  enormous  American  flag  was  hoisted  in  its  place. 
Just  as  the  huge  flag  went  up,  the  sun,  which  through  the  greater  por 
tion  of  the  day  had  been  obscured,  nowT  burst  through  the  clouds  hang 
ing  over  Manila  and  illuminated  the  banner  with  a  blaze  of  light.  It 
was  as  opportune  as  the  calcium  light  in  the  theater  which  falls  on  the 
center  of  the  stage  when  the  star  enters. 

The  ships  of  the  fleet  saluted  the  new  flag  with  twenty-one  guns 
each.  In  ten  minutes  189  saluting  charges  wrere  fired. 

At  6  o'clock  the  band  on  the  flagship  struck  up  "The  Victory  of 
Manila,"  and  Manila  was  ours. 

American  Soldiers  in  Manila. 

By  10  o'clock  10,000  soldiers  were  in  the  city.  The  2d  Oregon 
patrolled  the  walled  city  and  guarded  its  nine  entrances.  General 
Greene  marched  his  brigade  around  the  walled  city  into  Binondo.  The 
1st  California  was  sent  east  to  the  fashionable  official  residence  district 
of  Malacanay,  the  1st  Colorado  wras  sent  into  Tondo  and  the  1st  Ne 
braska  was  established  on  the  north  shore  of  the  Pasig  river,  Mac- 
Arthur's  brigade  patrolled  Ermita  and  Malate. 

In  the  walled  city  the  Spaniards  had  surrendered  their  arms  at 
the  governor's  palace.  By  nightfall  over  7,000  rifles  had  been  surren 
dered,  and  by  the  following  evening  nearly  1,000  more  were  turned  in. 
The  big  American  flag  was  hoisted  by  Lieutenant  Brumby,  and  as  the 
Oregonians  entered  from  the  Kwonghoi  the  afternoon  of  the  fight  their 
band  struck  up  "The  Star-Spangled  Banner."  The  women  wept  as  the 
Spanish  ensign  went  down,  and  the  soldiers  cheered  as  the  American 
flag  went  up. 

The  night  of  the  battle  was  quiet.  Except  for  a  few  cases  reported 
of  the  insurgents  looting  the  houses  of  Spaniards,  there  was  no  dis 
order.  The  American  soldiers  at  once  began  to  fraternize  with  the 
Spanish  soldiers.  Terms  of  capitulation  were  agreed  upon  promptly 
between  American  and  Spanish  commanders  and  the  occupation  of  the 
Spanish  capital  of  the  Philippines  was  complete.  General  Merritt's 


MEREITT  AND   DEWEY   CAPTURE   MANILA.  115 

first  great  task  after  that  of  safely  transporting  an  army  across  the 
Pacific  was  accomplished.  His  own  report  is  but  a  just  appreciation 
of  the  excellence  of  the  work  done  by  his  men.  Its  expressions  of  ap 
proval  are  no  warmer  than  those  given  to  General  Merritt  himself  by 
those  who  know  his  work.  It  closed  as  follows: 

General  Merritt  Praises  the  Army. 

"Immediately  after  the  surrender  the  Spanish  colors  on  the  sea 
front  were  hauled  down  and  the  American  flag  displayed  and  saluted 
by  the  guns  of  the  navy.  The  2d  Oregon  Regiment,  which  had  pro 
ceeded  by  sea  from  Cavite,  was  disembarked  and  entered  the  walled 
town  as  a  provost  guard,  and  the  colonel  was  directed  to  receive  the 
Spanish  arms  and  deposit  them  in  places  of  security.  The  town  was 
filled  with  the  troops  of  the  enemy  driven  in  from  the  entrenchments, 
regiments  formed  and  standing  in  line  in  the  streets,  but  the  work  of 
disarming  proceeded  quietly  and  nothing  unpleasant  occurred. 

"In  leaving  the  subject  of  the  operations  of  the  13th  I  desire  here 
to  record  my  appreciation  of  the  admirable  manner  in  which  the  orders 
for  attack  and  the  plan  for  occupation  of  the  city  were  carried  out  by 
the  troops  exactly  as  contemplated.  I  submit  that  for  troops  to  enter 
under  fire  a  town  covering  a  wide  area,  to  rapidly  deploy  and  guard  all 
principal  points  in  the  extensive  suburbs,  to  keep  out  the  insurgent 
forces  pressing  for  admission,  to  quietly  disarm  an  army  of  Spaniards 
more  than  equal  in  numbers  to  the  American  troops,  and  finally  by  all 
this  to  prevent  entirely  all  rapine,  pillage,  and  disorder,  and  gain  en 
tire  and  complete  possession  of  a  city  of  300,000  people  filled  with  na 
tives  hostile  to  the  European  interests,  and  stirred  up  by  the  knowledge 
that  their  own  people  were  fighting  in  the  outside  trenches,  was  an  act 
which  only  the  law-abiding,  temperate,  resolute  American  soldier,  well 
and  skillfully  handled  by  his  regimental  and  brigade  commanders, 
could  accomplish." 

President  McKinley  Sends  Congratulations. 

As  soon  as  possible  for  messages  to  pass  by  steamer  between  Manila 
and  Hong  Kong  and  by  cable  to  and  from  Washington,  the  following 
were  received  from  President  McKinley: 


116  MERRITT  AND   DEWEY   CAPTURE   MANILA. 

"Executive  Mansion,  Washington,  D.  C.,  August  21. — AdmiraJ 
Dewey,  Manila:  Receive  for  yourself  and  the  officers,  sailors  and  ma 
rines  of  your  command  my  thanks  and  congratulations  and  those  of 
the  nation  for  the  gallant  conduct  all  have  again  so  conspicuously  dis 
played. 

"WILLIAM  McKINLEY." 


"Executive  Mansion,  Washington,  D.  C.,  August  21. — Major-General 
Merritt,  U.  S.  A.,  Manila:  In  my  own  behalf  and  for  the  nation  I  extend 
to  you  and  the  officers  and  men  of  your  command  sincere  thanks  and 
congratulations  for  the  conspicuously  gallant  conduct  displayed  in  your 
campaign. 

"WILLIAM  McKINLEY." 


Formal  Terms  of  Capitulation. 

The  formal  terms  of  capitulation  signed  by  the  American  and  Span 
ish  officers  designated  for  that  purpose  at  Manila  were  as  follows: 

The  undersigned,  having  been  appointed  a  commission  to  determine 
the  details  of  the  capitulation  of  the  city  and  defenses  of  Manila  and 
its  suburbs  and  the  Spanish  forces  stationed  therein,  in  accordance  with 
agreement  entered  into  the  previous  day  by  Major-General  Wesley 
Merritt,  United  States  Army,  American  commander-in-chief  in  the 
Philippines,  and  his  excellency  Don  Fermin  Jaudenes,  acting  general- 
in-chief  of  the  Spanish  army  in  the  Philippines,  have  agreed  upon  the 
following: 

1.  The  Spanish  troops,  European  and  native,  capitulate  with  the 
city  and  defenses  with  all  honors  of  war,  depositing  their  arms  in  the 
places  designated  by  the  authorities  of  the  United  States,  and  remain 
ing  in  the  quarters  designated  and  under  the  orders  of  their  officers 
and  subject  to  control  of  the  aforesaid  United  States  authorities,  until 
the  conclusion  of  a  treaty  of  peace  between  the  two  belligerent  nations. 
All  persons  included  in  the  capitulation  remain  at  liberty;  the  officers 
remaining  in  their  respective  homes,  which  shall  be  respected  as  long 
as  they  observe  the  regulations  prescribed  for  their  government  and  the 
laws  in  force. 

2.  Officers  shall  retain  their  side  arms,  horses  and  private  Drop- 


HEERITT  AND   DEWEY   CAPTURE    MANILA. 

erty.    All  public  horses  and  public  property  of  all  kinds  shall  be  turned 
over  to  the  staff  officers  designated  by  the  United  States. 

3.  Complete  returns  in  duplicate  of  men  by  organizations  and  full 
lists  of  public  property  and  stores  shall  be  rendered  to  the  United 
States  within  ten  days  from  this  date. 

4.  All  questions  relating  to  the  repatriation  of  officers  and  men  of 
the  Spanish  forces  and  of  their  families  and  of  the  expenses  which  said 
repatriation  may  occasion  shall  be  referred  to  the  government  of  the 
United  States  at  Washington.     Spanish  families  may  leave  Manila  at 
any  time  convenient  to  them.    The  return  of  the  arms  surrendered  by 
the  Spanish  forces  shall  take  place  when  they  evacuate  the  city  or  when 
the  American  army  evacuates. 

5.  Officers  and  men  included  in  the  capitulation  shall  be  supplied 
by  the  United  States  according  to  their  rank  with  rations  and  necessary 
aid,  as  though  they  were  prisoners  of  war,  until  the  conclusion  of  the 
treaty  of  peace  between  the  United  States  and  Spain.    All  the  funds 
in  the  Spanish  treasury  and  all  other  public  funds  shall  be  turned  over 
to  the  authorities  of  the  United  States. 

6.  This  city,  its  inhabitants,  its  churches  and  religious  worship, 
its  educational  establishments  and  its  private  property  of  all  descrip 
tions  are  placed  under  the  safeguard  of  the  faith  and  honor  of  the  Amer 
ican  army. 

F.  W.  GREENE, 
Brigadier-General  of  Volunteers,  United  States  Army. 

B.  P.  LAMBERTON, 

Captain  United  States  Navy. 

CHARLES  A.  WHITTIER, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  and  Inspector-General. 

E.  H.  CROWDER, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  and  Judge  Advocate. 

NICHOLAS  DE  LA  PENA, 

Auditor-General  Excts. 

CARLOS  REYES, 

Colonel  de  Ingineroi. 

JOSE  MARIA  OLAQUEN, 

Felia  de  Estado  Major. 


118  MERRITT  AND   DEWEY   CAPTURE   MANILA. 


War  with  the  Spanish  Ended. 

The  American  army  was  encamped  where  most  available  for  service 
in  the  event  of  any  sort  of  an  uprising  or  other  emergency  call.  The 
commanding  general  assigned  various  officers  of  his  staff  to  civic  duties 
in  the  organization  of  a  new  regime.  Spaniards,  Americans  and  Filipinos 
dwelt  side  by  side  in  a  measure  of  peace  and  harmony.  Major-General 
Merritt  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  people  informing  them  that  his 
intention  was  to  protect  them  in  all  their  rights.  There  remained  only 
the  necessity  of  waiting  for  peace  to  be  declared  to  end  all  difficulties*. 
But  the  Filipinos  were  yet  to  be  reckoned  with. 


Copyrighted,  1899,  by  Joseph  L.  Stickney. 

AFTER  DEWEY'S  GUNS  FIRED. 

The  face  of  the  Malate  battery,  south  of  Manila,  after  the  warships  had  fired 
upon  it,  August  13,  1898,  the  day  Manila  was  taken. 


FILIPINO  INTRENCHMENTS 

This  picture  shows  a  large,  old-fashioned  gun  taken  from  Cavite  arsenal  before  any  difficulties 
arose  between  the  United  States  and  the  Filipinos. 


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CHAPTER  VL 
ANCESTRY   AND    CHILDHOOD    OF   GEORGE    DEWEY. 

"The  Child  Is  the  Father  of  the  Man" — Origin  of  the  Dewey  Family — Nine 
Generations  Born  in  America — The  Grandfather  of  the  Admiral — 
Dewey's  Father  and  His  Traits — Stories  of  the  Home  Life  and  the 
Youth  of  the  Coming  Hero— Boyish  Pranks  and  Their  Punishment — 
A  Voyage  in  a  Buggy — School  Life  and  Schoolmates — Appointment 
to  the  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis. 

The  greatest  biographers  of  the  greatest  men  have  recognized  al 
ways  that  there  is  a  large  element  of  wisdom  and  truth  in  the  old 
adage,  "The  child  is  the  father  of  the  man."  Every  child  contains  within 
him  in  embryo  the  qualities  that  he  displays  in  maturity.  Environ 
ment  and  training  will  develop  certain  latent  qualities  beyond  others 
according  as  the  influences  are  directed,  but  it  is  to  be  doubted  if  they 
can  ever  create  in  the  man  any  capacity  which  was  not  born  in  him. 
Any  study  of  man  which  fails  to  take  cognizance  of  both  environment 
and  heredity  will  fail  in  completeness.  So  it  is  that  although  in  America 
we  are  proud  to  feel  that  ancestry  has  little  influence  in  establishing  a 
man's  station  among  his  fellow  men,  and  that  each  must  be  judged  for 
himself  by  his  own  works,  it  is  impossible  to  ignore  the  factor  of  family 
in  discovering  the  source  of  the  qualities  which  gain  any  station  for 
their  possessor. 

The  American  Deweys  came  to  the  colonies  from  England,  but  they 
were  immigrants  to  England  as  well  some  generations  earlier,  for  the 
family  was  of  French  extraction.  In  its  original  form  the  name  was 
spelled  Deueua.  Early  records  of  the  family  show  worthy  service  in 
many  walks  of  life,  one  of  the  ancestors  having  been  a  successful  general 
in  the  French  armies. 

George  Dewey  a  Real  American. 

George  Dewey  is  of  the  ninth  generation  from  the  first  Dewey  who 
came  to  America.  This  progenitor  of  the  American  branch  of  the  family 

1*4 


122        ANCESTRY   AND   CHILDHOOD    OF   GEORGE    DEWEY. 

emigrated  from  Sandwich  in  1633,  bearing  his  ancestral  arms  and 
motto,  "To  the  conqueror  a  crown  is  due."  He  settled  in  Dorchester, 
in  the  Massachusetts  Bay  colony,  and  from  there  the  family  scattered, 
in  later  years  one  branch  locating  in  New  York  and  one  in  Vermont. 
It  is  from  the  latter  that  the  great  admiral  is  descended. 

One  of  the  chief  characteristics  of  these  two  elder  branches  of  the 
family  in  America  was  their  mathematical  ability.  They  were  keen 
business  men  as  well,  able  to  figure  out  the  chances  in  enterprises 
involving  great  risk,  and  willing  to  take  any  risk  necessary  when  the 
chances  had  been  once  satisfactorily  calculated.  Another  character 
istic  was  their  exceeding  independence.  They  preferred  to  make  their 
own  calculation  and  accept  the  responsibility  for  their  own  actions, 
rather  than  seek  advice.  They  were  not  even  clannish  with  their  rela 
tives,  seeming  to  choose  their  friendships  within  or  without  the  family, 
as  was  most  congenial  to  them,  irrespective  of  the  degree  of  consan 
guinity  and  not  assuming  intimacy  in  the  family  if  there  happened  to 
be  none. 

Admiral  Dewey's  Immediate  Ancestry. 

Simeon  Dewey,  the  grandfather  of  George  Dewey,  was  born  in 
Hanover,  New  Hampshire,  when  the  people  of  America  were  learning 
the  value  of  freedom  and  realizing  that  they  could  never  submit  to 
government  from  over  the  sea.  In  early  manhood  he  bought  a  farm 
in  Berlin,  Vermont,  only  four  miles  from  Montpelier,  the  capital  of  the 
Green  Mountain  state,  and  there  the  admiral's  father  wras  born  in  1801. 

This  grandfather,  Simeon  Dewey,  was  one  of  the  long-lived  members 
of  the  long-lived  family.  One  anecdote  relates  that  Mr.  Charles  Dewey, 
the  admiral's  brother,  when  in  England  some  time  ago,  happened  to 
hear  a  British  theory  for  American  degeneracy. 

"Americans,"  said  the  critic,  "are  undersized  and  die  early  because 
they  live  upon  pork  and  ice- water." 

Mr.  Dewey  hastened  to  thank  his  informant,  replying  that  until 
then  it  had  always  been  a  mystery  to  him  why  his  grandfather  Simeon 
had  been  prematurely  cut  off  at  the  early  age  of  ninety-three.  To  him 
pork  and  ice-water  were  essentials. 


ANCESTRY   AND    CHILDHOOD    OF    GEORGE    DEWEY         123 


Montpelier  Becomes  the  Family  Home. 

When  the  admiral's  father,  Julius  Yemans  Dewey,  was  twenty-one 
years  old,  in  1822,  he  left  the  farm  and  removed  to  Montpelier,  settling 
there  and  marrying  Miss  Mary  Perrin  three  years  later.  Of  this  union 
four  children  wrere  born,  Charles,  Edward,  George  and  Mary.  The 
mother  died  when  George  was  but  five  years  old,  but  the  father  was 
married  twice  more  before  his  own  career  on  earth  ended  at  the  age  of 
seventy-six  years. 

Here  in  Montpelier,  the  capital  of  Vermont,  George  Dewey  was  born 
on  December  26,  1837.  The  house  of  his  birth  still  stands  almost  as  it 
was  then,  a  modest,  neat  New  England  home  like  thousands  of  others 
out  of  which  have  come  strong  men  and  women  to  do  their  part  in  the 
battles  of  life. 

Characteristics  of  Dewey's  Father. 

The  father  of  the  family  was  a  man  of  the  highest  New  England 
type,  a  man  who  must  be  credited  with  much  of  what  his  son  became. 
He  was  worthy  of  observation  for  his  sterling  qualities.  He  had  been  a 
school-teacher  in  Montpelier  and  in  that  way  had  earned  money  which 
enabled  him  to  study  medicine  and  take  his  degree.  It  is  still  re 
membered  that  he  was  an  early  riser  and  that  he  taught  his  children 
to  follow  his  example.  He  was  a  man  of  deep  religious  convictions  and 
as  active  and  energetic  in  the  practical  work  of  the  church  as  he  was 
in  all  other  duties  that  rose  before  him.  He  was  the  founder  of  Christ 
Episcopal  church  in  Montpelier,  where  his  children  were  baptized,  con 
firmed  and  went  to  Sunday  school,  George  with  the  others.  Family 
prayers  and  grace  before  meals  were  the  practice  of  the  DewTey  home. 
Hymns  were  sung  on  Sunday  evenings,  the  doctor  leading  the  singing. 

Dr.  Dewey  a  Valued  Neighbor. 

Dr.  Dewey  possessed  exactly  the  characteristics  that  make  men 
remembered  and  loved  wherever  they  live.  He  loved  not  only  his  own 
children  but  all  children  and  this  trait  the  admiral  inherited  from 
him.  He  told  stories  and  brought  sunshine  with  him  wherever  he  went, 


124        ANCESTRY   AND    CHILDHOOD    OF    GEORGE    DEWEY. 

so  that  all  over  the  surrounding  country  he  was  a  welcome  visitor  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  his  visits  signalled  the  presence  of  sickness  in 
the  house.  He  was  fond  of  music  and  poetry,  the  works  of  Burns, 
Shakespeare  and  Cowper  standing  first  in  his  literary  choice. 

The  doctor  was  a  busy  man  all  his  life.  When  by  his  practice  he 
had  earned  and  by  careful  administration  had  saved  a  considerable 
sum  of  money,  he  was  fifty  years  of  age.  Then  he  organized  the  Na 
tional  life  insurance  company  of  Montpelier,  which  prospered  under 
his  direction  until  before  his  death  he  had  seen  it  grow  to  be  an  institu 
tion  of  great  prosperity  and  some  financial  magnitude.  He  was  still  in 
active  labor  when  he  died  in  1877. 

The  Little  City  of  Montpelier. 

The  Montpelier  into  which  George  Dewey  was  born  on  the  day  after 
Christmas,  1837,  was  not  immensely  different  from  the  Montpelier  of 
to-day.  There  were  the  same  white  cottages  with  green  blinds,  the 
same  picket  fences,  the  same  river  and  the  same  New  England  hills. 
The  people  were  prosperous  and  thrifty  as  they  are  now.  Fine  elms 
lined  the  streets  as  they  do  to-day,  and  the  town  was  clean  and  well- 
kept.  The  Deweys  always  have  been  leading  men  in  the  place,  at  the 
head  of  movements  for  education  and  improvement  of  all  sorts. 

The  cottage  which  was  the  admiral's  birthplace  has  been  moved 
from  its  former  site  just  opposite  the  capitol  building,  to  another  posi 
tion  down  the  street.  In  former  days  the  Onion  river,  now  called  the 
Winooski,  ran  just  behind  the  house,  and  many  of  the  tales  of  Dewey's 
childhood  are  connected  with  this  river.  One  old  friend  in  a  reminiscent 
frame  of  mind  recalls  his  first  introduction  to  little  George  when  he 
was  brought  from  the  river,  a  barefoot  boy,  to  meet  the  stranger  in  the 
parlor.  The  boy  was  fortunate  in  having  a  loving  sister  Mary,  two 
years  younger  than  himself,  who  admired  his  prowess  and  impersonated 
whatever  character  was  necessary  to  make  his  own  play  complete. 
They  fished  together  and  took  mountain  tramps  together  as  other  child 
ren  do  to-day. 

Childhood  Books  and  Sports. 

George  was  not  a  great  reader,  but  "Robinson  Crusoe"  won  his  favor 
and  suggested  new  games.  Then  when  he  was  ten,  his  big  twelve-year- 
old  brother  Charles  gave  him  a  "Life  of  Hannibal."  A  big  snow-drift 


ANCESTRY    AND    CHILDHOOD    OF    GEORGE    DEWEY.        125 

answered  for  the  Alps,  and  the  two  younger  children  set  to  work  to 
emulate  the  Carthaginian  invader.  Mary  suffered  a  week's  sickness 
in  bed  thereby,  but  George  escaped  unscathed  from  the  adventure. 

By  the  older  people  of  Moutpelier,  George  Dewey  is  remembered 
tis  a  good  deal  of  a  rogue.  He  was  a  harum-scarum  lad,  always  in 
mischief,  and  more  than  one  of  his  pranks  are  remembered  to  this  day. 
He  was  the  best  swimmer  among  all  the  boys  of  his  age  and  nothing 
was  too  reckless  for  him  to  undertake.  At  winter  sports  he  was  re 
garded  as  one  of  the  best  in  the  village.  In  the  summer  one  of  his 
chief  pleasures  wras  climbing  such  trees  as  contained  the  earliest  apples 
and  the  choicest  cherries,  and  it  was  never  observed  that  he  was  over 
particular  whose  orchard  he  visited. 

Young  Dewey  a  Fighter. 

He  was  something  of  a  tighter  too,  and  while  details  are  lacking 
of  such  contemporaneously  trivial  things  as  a  bo}r's  battles,  yet  the 
memory  of  the  people  of  Montpelier  is  that  George  always  was  the 
victor.  They  declare  that  he  was  a  born  leader  in  everything  that  rose 
for  discussion  and  execution. 

A  favorite  amusement  of  the  youngsters  was  the  giving  of  circuses, 
dramas  and  minstrel  shows  in  the  Dewey  barn.  George  was  impres- 
sario,  director,  prompter,  business  and  stage  manager  and  usually  star 
of  the  performances.  The  same  kind  sister  was  at  his  service  there  as 
elsewhere,  though  she  did  not  enjoy  participating  in  the  shows.  On 
one  occasion,  however,  she  relates,  the  ten-year-old  leading  lady  was 
missing  and  George  drew  her  into  service  as  an  understudy  to  play 
the  part  at  a  moment's  notice.  To  her  protest  that  she  did  not  know 
all  the  lines,  he  answered  that  that  made  no  difference,  as  he  would 
fire  his  pistol  at  any  place  where  she  stumbled  and  that  would  conceal 
her  difficulty.  The  solution  was  a  happy  one.  The  audience  was  de 
lighted  at  the  interpolation,  failing  to  discover  the  depth  of  the  scheme, 
and  the  affair  passed  off  without  a  hitch.  Then  the  neighbors  made  a 
protest  on  the  pistol  feature  of  the  play,  and  Dewey's  father  forbade 
further  shows  of  the  sort. 

The  First  Cruise  of  the  Admiral. 

Among  the  stories  related  by  his  old  friends  at  Montpelier  is  one 
of  what  has  been  known  jocularly  as  the  admiral's  first  cruise. 


126        ANCESTRY   AND   CHILDHOOD   OF   GEORGE    DEWEY. 

day  when  he  was  not  mere  than  eleven,  says  a  writer  in  the  Review 
of  Reviews,  he  started  out  in  his  father's  buggy,  accompanied  by  his 
friend,  Will  Redfield,  bent  upon  an  overland  trip  of  adventure — to 
drive  the  cows  home,  it  has  been  said.  But  when  they  came  to  the  Dog 
river,  which  enters  the  Winooski  some  distance  from  the  town,  they 
found  it  higher  than  the  oldest  inhabitant  ever  had  seen  it,  the  ford 
impassable  from  recent  rains.  William  prudently  counseled  turning 
back,  but  to  this  the  future  admiral  would  not  listen. 

"When  Dewey  went  Ahead. 

"What  man  has  done,  man  can  do,"  he  said,  and  went  at  the  ford 
"four  bells."  Needless  to  say,  he  found  no  bottom ;  the  superstructure 
of  his  frail  craft,  which  in  this  case  was  the  buggy  body,  went  adrift  and 
floated  swiftly  away  toward  Lake  Champlain,  while  the  admiral,  serene 
as  ever,  and  the  thoroughly  frightened  William,  clambered  on  board 
the  horse  and  managed  to  land  in  safety.  When  the  boy  reached  home, 
the  doctor  was  away  on  a  professional  call,  and  an  innate  sense  of 
strategy  bade  George  go  directly  to  bed,  without  waiting  for  supper. 
The  father  found  him  apparently  asleep,  but  was  not  deceit"'!,  and 
immediately  began  to  chide  him  for  his  rashness,  when  his  son  replied 
from  the  depths  of  the  covers: 

"You  ought  to  be  thankful  that  my  life  wath  thpared." 

When  the  School  Teacher  "Whipped  Dewey. 

When  the  time  came  for  George  Dewey  to  begin  his  school  days,  be 
was  sent  first  to  the  Washington  county  grammar  school  in  Montpelier. 
Like  many  another  school  it  had  a  bad  reputation  for  order  and  more 
than  one  teacher  had  been  compelled  to  give  up  the  effort  to  control 
the  youngsters  there.  Young  Dewey  was  not  backward  in  the  troubles. 
There  seems  no  doubt  that  he  was  a  "sassy,"  obstinate  schoolboy  and 
that  he  deserved  the  punishment  that  came  to  him  at  last. 

The  person  who  "licked"  him  was  a  weak,  undersized  school  teacher, 
weighing  ninety  pounds.  This  school  teacher  is  now  Major  Z.  K.  Pang- 
born,  editor  of  the  Jersey  City  Journal,  and  .this  is  the  story  he  tells 
of  how  he  took  charge  of  the  school,  found  it  in  a  condition  of  chronic 


ANCESTRY   AND    CHILDHOOD    OF    GEORGE    DEWEY.        127 

revolt  against  authority,  with  Dewey  as  the  ringleader,  and  of  how  he 
quelled  the  young  rebels: 

"I  took  charge  and  for  the  first  week  there  was  no  outbreak.  George 
Dewey  was  one  of  the  boldest  and  brightest  of  the  younger  lads,  and 
above  all  things  loved  a  fight.  He  was  ever  looking  for  trouble.  He 
had  the  personal  qualities  of  a  leader,  and  while  there  was  nothing 
you  could  call  bad  about  him,  he  resented  authority  and  evinced  a 
sturdy  determination  not  to  submit  to  it  unless  it  suited  him. 

The  Young  Man  Becomes  Impudent. 

"The  crisis  arrived  in  this  fashion.  After  the  usual  afternoon  recess 
one  Monday,  Dewey  did  not  return  to  the  school  room.  I  sent  for  him, 
but  the  messenger  returned  with  the  message  that  George  had  declared 
that  he  wasn't  coming  and  that  I  might  go  to  the  devil.  After  school 
that  day,  George,  who  had  climbed  into  the  cupola  of  the  old  statehouse, 
amused  himself  by  pelting  the  children  with  snowballs,  and  when  I  went 
out  and  commanded  him  to  come  down,  he  again  advised  me  to  go  to 
the  devil. 

"I  was  mad,  and  when  I  got  home  I  spent  the  evening  perfecting  a 
plan  of  campaign  for  the  next  day.  I  first  of  all  provided  myself  with  a 
very  substantial  rawhide,  and  at  a  late  hour  that  night  took  it  to  the 
school  room  and  placed  it  over  the  ledge  of  the  entrance  door  where 
it  would  be  ready  to  my  hand  when  I  entered  school  next  day.  I  also 
secured  two  or  three  round  sticks  of  cord  wood  and  placed  them  on  top 
of  the  wood  box  in  the  school  room  where  I  could  reach  them  easily. 
I  then  went  to  bed  and  slept  like  a  baby,  for  I  had  resolved  that  when 
the  rumpus  started  I  would  be  the  first  to  fire  a  broadside. 

"Dewey  came  to  school  the  next  day  as  if  nothing  had  happened 
and  took  his  place  at  his  desk  as  demurely  as  any  young  miss  of  them 
all.  His  smile  was  both  childlike  and  bland.  I  wasted  no  time  in  pre 
liminaries,  but  as  soon  as  the  scholars  were  in  their  places,  I  summoned 
Dewey  to  the  platform  in  a  terrible  voice. 

"He  came  writh  a  sassy  twinkle  in  his  eyes,  and  seemed  to  survey  my 
slender  proportions  with  a  contempt  bordering  on  amusement.  Then  I 
began  to  talk.  I  summed  up  the  head  and  front  of  his  offending  in  a 
voice  that  brought  ice  to  the  window-panes,  and  wound  up  by  saying 
that  he  must  forthwith  say  he  was  sorry  for  having  misbehaved  him- 


128        ANCESTRY   AND    CHILDHOOD    OF    GEORGE    DEWEY. 

self,  apologize  both  to  me  and  to  the  school  for  what  he  had  done  and 
promise  to  be  obedient  and  orderly  in  the  future.  I  told  him  if  he  did 
not  do  this  I  should  punish  him  then  and  there. 

A  Defeat  for  the  Future  Admiral. 

"Dewey  laughed,  and,  if  I  remember  aright,  he  once  more  invited  me 
in  quick,  nervy  sentences  to  go  to  the  devil.  The  next  instant,  I  and  the 
rawhide  were  winding  and  tossing  around  Dewey  like  the  fire  of  one  of 
the  warships  that  have  made  his  name  famous  the  world  over.  I  was 
little  and  slender,  but  so  also  was  the  rawhide  and  the  two  of  us  so 
demoralized  Dewey  that  almost  before  I  was  aware  of  it  he  was  lying  in 
a  heap  on  the  floor.  He  was  bleeding  from  a  wound  in  the  hand,  and 
whimpering  as  any  boy  would  at  receiving  so  tremendous  a  thrashing. 
He  was  conquered,  while  I  glared  over  his  prostrate  form  at  the  other 
rebellious  spirits  in  the  school. 

"For  an  instant  they  sat  motionless,  so  extreme  was  their  surprise. 
Then  seven  of  them  started  up  the  defile  formed  by  the  row  of  desks,  to 
have  my  blood.  But  I  was  ready  for  them.  Seizing  a  stick  of  cord- 
wood  from  the  firebox  I  dealt  the  first  boy  who  crossed  into  my  terri 
tory  a  blow  between  the  eyes  that  sent  him  to  the  floor  with  a  crash. 
The  others  paused. 

"  'Sit  down !'  I  roared,  and  down  they  all  sat 

"That  ended  the  Dewrey  revolt." 

When  quiet  was  restored,  Mr.  Pangborn  told  Dewey  to  go  home, 
and  the  teacher  went  along,  the  rest  of  the  pupils  following.  Dr.  Dewey 
took  culprit  and  dominie  into  his  study  and  asked  for  the  story,  which 
was  related.  George  took  off  his  coat  and  showed  the  red  stripes  across 
his  back.  His  father  was  a  just  man.  He  told  the  boy  that  he  had  no 
one  to  blame  but  himself  for  the  punishment  and  that  if  it  was  not 
enough  to  teach  him  a  lesson,  another  would  be  added  to  the  one  already 
given  by  Mr.  Pangborn.  There  was  no  more  trouble. 

Life  in  Johnson  Academy. 

Young  Dewey  \vas  too  big-hearted  to  harbor  resentment  against  the 
school-master  who  did  not  flinch  from  his  duty,  and  they  became  great 
friends,  A  year  later,  wbeu.  Mr.  Pansborn  went  to  the  neighboring 


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ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  WIFE 

(DECEASED) 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  BROTHERS  AND   SISTER 


Hon.  Charles  Dewey. 


Mrs   Mary  P.  (Dewey)  Greeley. 


Capt.  Edward  Dewey. 


RESIDENCE  OF   HON.  CHARLES   DEWEY,  MONTPELIER,  VT. 


AND 


NORWICH  MILITARY  SCHOOL,  NORWICH,  VT. 

George  Dewey  attended  this  school  at  the  age  of  17,  and  there  formed  the  desire  for 
military  life  which  led  him  to  enter  the  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis. 


ANCESTRY   AND    CHILDHOOD    OF    GEORGE    DEWEY.        133 

town  of  Johnson  to  establish  an  academy,  George  went  there  at  his 
own  request  and  entered  the  school.  One  of  his  old  schoolmates  at  this 
academy  tells  the  following  story  of  an  incident  of  those  days: 

"Three  or  four  of  us,  including  George,  used  to  go  to  school  in 
company  and  we  would  meet  daily  a  crowd  of  smaller  boys  on  their 
way  to  the  district  school.  They  got  into  the  habit  of  making  it  inter 
esting  for  us  whenever  we  met,  by  pelting  us  with  snowballs  and  insult 
ing  remarks.  Some  of  us  were  disposed  to  retaliate,  but  George  would 
eay,  'Oh,  come  along,  boys.  Never  mind  those  little  shavers.' 

"But  the  'little  shavers/  unable  to  appreciate  such  forbearance, 
seemed  to  imbibe  the  idea  that  we  did  not  dare  to  attack  them,  on 
account  of  their  superior  numbers,  so  grew  daily  more  annoying.  One 
day  an  immense  snowball  hit  George  square  on  the  side  of  his  head, 
filling  his  ear  with  snow. 

"Handing  me  his  books,  in  a  twinkling  he  had  caught  the  ringleader 
of  our  tormentors,  and  administered  such  a  spanking  as  the  chap  would 
not  forget  in  a  hurry.  If  he  is  alive  to-day  he  is  probably  proud  of  hay 
ing  been  spanked  by  Dewey,  though  at  the  time  he  howled  like  mad. 
The  crowd  were  so  dazed  at  this  sudden  attack  that  they  stood  as  if 
paralyzed,  and  George  pushed  several  over  into  the  snow,  and  scrubbed 
some  faces  cleaner  than  they  were  wont  to  be,  I  dare  say,  before  the 
rest  of  the  enemy  gathered  their  wits  enough  to  take  to  their  heels. 

"  'Father  once  told  me/  said  George,  as  he  brushed  off  the  snow 
and  took  his  books  again,  'never  to  fight  unless  I  was  obliged  to.  But  if 
you  have  to  fight,  fight  in  earnest!'  he  said. 

"We  had  no  further  trouble  with  the  district  school  boys  that  winter. 
The  lesson  Dewey  gave  them  was  as  effectual,  in  its  way,  as  the  lessons 
he  has  given  some  boys  of  larger  growth,  at  Manila." 

Planning  to  Enter  the  Navy. 

In  1852,  when  George  Dewey  was  seventeen  years  of  age,  he  went  to 
the  Norwich  military  school  at  Norwich,  Vermont.  It  was  there  that 
he  formed  his  admiration  for  military  life  and  a  wish  to  enter  the 
Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis.  His  father  did  not  think  much  of  sailors 
and  said  so  with  the  utmost  frankness,  but  he  was  unwilling  to  thwart 
the  wish  of  his  son  and  so  consented.  When  Dewey  mentioned  the 
plan  to  one  of  his  schoolmates,  a  boy  named  Spalding,  he  found  that  the 


134        ANCESTRY   AND    CHILDHOOD    OF    GEORGE    DEWEY. 

latter  had  a  like  ambition.  Senator  Foote  pf  Vermont  made  the  choice, 
giving  Spalding  the  appointment  and  naming  Dewey  as  the  alternate. 
Then  Spalding's  mother  interfered  and  vetoed  the  plan  of  her  son,  who 
consequently  was  withdrawn  from  competition.  By  such  a  narrow 
margin  did  the  future  admiral  get  into  the  navy  at  that  time.  His 
companion,  finishing  college,  entered  the  ministry  and  now  is  the 
Rev.  George  B.  Spalding  of  Syracuse,  NewT  York.  He  preached  a  war 
sermon  from  his  pulpit  after  his  old  schoolmate's  great  victory. 

Montpelier  Proud  of  Dewey. 

With  his  departure  from  Montpelier  to  enter  the  Naval  Academy, 
young  Dewey's  actual  residence  in  that  town  was  at  an  end.  His  two 
brothers  still  live  there,  the  Hon.  Charles  Dewey,  president  of  the 
insurance  company  which  his  father  founded,  and  Mr.  Edward  Dewey, 
a  director  of  the  same  company.  The  townspeople,  however,  never  have 
lost  sight  of  his  career  nor  have  they  failed  in  pride  at  his  success. 
When  the  news  of  his  great  victory  came  to  that  little  city  in  Vermont, 
there  was  a  celebration  which  in  heartiness  could  not  be  excelled  any 
where,  however  much  it  may  have  been  outdone  in  volume.  The  streets 
were  illuminated,  the  buildings  decorated  with  flags,  and  the  people 
rejoiced  in  public  meetings  and  in  their  homes  that  their  distinguished 
former  fellow  townsman  had  gained  such  merited  honor  for  himself  in 
doing  such  noble  service  for  his  country. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
GEORGE  DEWEY  IN  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

Four  Years  in  the  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis — Incidents  of  Cadet  Life — 
A  Cruise  on  the  European  Station — Rapid  Promotion  for  the  Young 
Officer — Outbreak  of  the  Rebellion — Executive  Officer  of  the  "Missis 
sippi" — Bravery  of  Dewey  When  His  Vessel  Was  Destroyed — Men 
tioned  in  Official  Reports — Service  With  Farragut — At  the  Taking 
of  Fort  Fisher — What  Admiral  Porter  Thought— The  End  of  the  War. 

There  has  been  no  period  in  the  career  of  George  Dewey  in  which  he 
has  failed  to  make  his  mark.  As  a  boy  in  Vermont,  just  as  it  was  in 
Manila  bay,  he  was  distinctly  ready  for  any  emergency.  So  it  was  dur 
ing  the  intervening  years.  At  the  Annapolis  Naval  Academy  he  made  a 
distinct  impress  by  his  clear  individuality,  and  prepared  the  way  for  the 
distinctions  he  wron  in  the  war  between  the  states. 

Dewey  entered  the  naval  academy  in  1854  at  the  age  of  seventeen. 
His  active,  energetic  life  had  brought  him  strength,  endurance  and  me 
dium  height.  He  needed  not  to  retire  before  any  of  his  classmates  in  out 
door  exercises. 

By  this  time  the  line  was  clearly  defined  in  the  Naval  Academy  at 
Annapolis  between  boys  of  the  North  and  of  the  South,  just  as  it  was  at 
the  Military  Academy  at  West  Point.  Young  Dewey  was  prompt  to  let 
his  position  be  understood,  and  equally  prompt  about  getting  into 
trouble.  The  Southern  faction  discovered  in  him  an  uncompromising 
spirit,  and  a  concerted  effort  was  made  to  provoke  a  quarrel.  The 
effort  was  successful  beyond  contemplation.  Dewey  accepted  the  appel 
lation  of  "Yankee"  without  a  word,  for  he  was  proud  of  it,  but  "dough 
face"  failed  to  appeal  to  him,  and  other  things  more  galling  followed. 

George  Dewey  Challenged  to  a  Duel. 

Finally  the  Vermont  cadet  waited  one  day  for  his  tormentor  as  he 
was  coming  from  the  mess-room,  knocked  him  down,  and  punished  him 
dexterously.  Not  long  afterward  an  inkstand  was  thrown  at  his  head 

1M 


186  GEORGE   DEWEY  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR. 

in  the  reading-room  and  another  decisive  victory  for  the  "Yankee" 
followed  fast.  Hot  Southern  blood,  however,  was  not  willing  to  drop 
the  matter  at  that  point.  The  antagonist  sent  a  challenge  to  Dewey, 
suggesting  that  he  would  prefer  pistols  at  close  range  and  that  the 
duel  must  be  to  the  death.  The  challenge  was  accepted  promptly, 
principals  and  seconds  were  at  the  designated  place  of  meeting,  and 
they  had  actually  paced  off  the  distance  and  were  ready  to  place  the 
boys  in  position  when  some  of  their  classmates,  in  alarm,  informed 
the  officers  of  the  academy,  who  interfered  in  haste. 

These  quarrels  passed,  the  breaches  were  healed,  and  even  in  the 
times  of  partisan  heat  before  the  war  Dewey  became  one  of  the  most 
popular  members  of  the  class. 

What  the  Naval  Academy  Did  for  Dewey. 

When  the  Naval  Academy  class  of  1858  was  graduated  fourteen  re 
ceived  diplomas  out  of  sixty-five  boys  who  had  begun  the  course  to 
gether.  Of  the  fourteen,  George  Dewey,  then  not  twenty-one  years  old, 
stood  fifth  in  rank.  He  had  not  proved  himself  an  exceptional  student, 
but  in  seamanship  and  other  technical  branches  he  excelled.  Although 
the  school  had  been  organized  officially  less  than  ten  years  when  he 
entered  it,  and  under  its  improved  form  less  than  five,  its  curriculum 
was  excellent  and  the  midshipmen  of  that  day  were  taught  not  only 
how  to  hand,  reef  and  steer,  but  also  the  higher  branches  of  mathe 
matics,  the  modern  languages  and,  of  course,  gunnery  and  navigation. 
The  student  was  required  to  stand  upon  his  own  merits.  No  favoritism 
was  shown  and  no  one  but  himself  was  to  blame  if  he  could  not  pass. 
Discipline  was  rigid.  A  high  sense  of  honor  was  inculcated.  It  is  no 
surprise  that  such  men  as  Dewey  come  out  of  such  ancestry  and  such 
environment. 

First  Cruise  After  Graduation. 

The  young  midshipman's  first  cruise  after  graduation  was  aboard  the 
old  steam  frigate  "Wabash,"  under  the  command  of  Captain  Barren  of 
Virginia,  who  afterwards  went  with  his  state  in  the  war  and  served  in 
the  Confederate  navy.  The  "Wabash"  was  on  the  European  station, 
most  of  the  time  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  Dewey  saw  those  southern 
shores  to  good  advantage.  He  made  a  visit  to  Jerusalem,  cutting  there 


GEORGE   DEWEY   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR.  13? 

an  olive-wood  cane,  which  he  sent  to  his  grandfather  in  Vermont.  It  is 
related  that  the  old  gentleman  died  with  that  cane  by  his  side,  his  last 
words  being  a  message  of  affection  to  the  grandson  who  had  sent  it  to 
him. 

In  I860  Dewey  returned  to  Annapolis  for  his  final  examination. 
The  two  years  had  been  fruitful  of  valuable  experience.  This  time  he 
led  his  fellows,  a  standing  which,  combined  with  his  former  one,  gave 
him  a  final  rating  of  third  in  his  class  and  the  rank  of  Passed  Midship 
man.  He  obtained  a  furlough  and  journeyed  to  his  home  in  Vermont 
to  visit  his  father  before  beginning  another  cruise. 

A  Period  of  Rapid  Promotion. 

In  February,  1861,  he  received  his  first  commission.  Owing  to  the 
resignation  of  many  Southern  officers  he  was  promoted  to  the  grade  of 
Master,  a  title  no  longer  in  use,  corresponding  to  that  of  a  lieutenant 
of  the  junior  grade  in  the  modern  navy.  Resting  here  in  the  old  home 
stead  at  Montpelier,  the  news  came  to  him  that  civil  war  had  begun.  His 
furlough  was  at  an  end. 

Six  days  after  Fort  Sumter  was  fired  on,  April  18,  1861,  Dewey 
received  his  commission  as  lieutenant  and  was  assigned  to  duty  aboard 
'the  "Mississippi,"  then  lying  in  Boston  harbor,  a  steamer  of  twelve  guns, 
commanded  by  Captain  Melancton  Smith.  In  the  organization  of  the 
United  States  Navy  for  the  Civil  War  she  was  made  a  part  of  the 
West  Gulf  Blockading  Squadron,  under  command  of  Captain  David 
G.  Farragut,  and  on  January  20,  1862,  the  fleet  sailed  for  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  for  the  purpose  of  capturing  the  Confederate  stronghold,  the 
City  of  New  Orleans. 

The  first  act  of  Flag-officer  Farragut  upon  reaching  the  mouth  of  the 
Mississippi  river  was  to  dispatch  his  chief-of-staff,  Captain  Bell,  up  the 
river  with  two  gunboats  on  a  scouting  expedition.  After  a  careful  study 
of  the  enemy's  position,  Captain  Bell  reported  that  the  approach  to  the 
city  was  strongly  fortified  and  that  a  dangerous  and  difficult  undertak 
ing  was  before  them. 

The  Defenses  of  New  Orleans. 

The  United  States  government  had  in  former  years  erected  two  forts 
about  thirty  miles  above  the  head  of  the  passes — Jackson  on  the  right 


138  GEOEGE   DEWEY  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR. 

or. south  bank,  and  St.  Philip  a  little  further  up  the  stream  on  the  left. 
Fort  St.  Philip  was  originally  built  by  the  Spaniards,  but  was  remodeled 
and  repaired  by  our  government  in  1812-15,  and  again  in  1841  and  fol 
lowing  years.  Fort  Jackson,  the  more  formidable  of  the  two,  was  built 
in  1824-32.  The  Confederate  government  took  possession  of  these  forts 
immediately  after  the  commencement  of  the  war  and  put  them  in  thor 
ough  repair.  When  the  Federal  fleet  arrived  they  found  that  a  Confed 
erate  squadron  of  fifteen  vessels,  under  Commodore  J.  K.  Mitchell,  was 
gathered  just  above  the  forts,  and  along  the  river  banks  were  ranged 
200  sharpshooters  to  give  the  forts  warning  of  the  Federal's  movements, 
and  pick  off  men  whenever  opportunity  offered.  Large  hulks  were 
moored  in  line  across  the  river,  with  heavy  chains  extending  from  one  to 
the  other.  Rafts  of  logs  were  also  used,  and  the  passage  betwreen  the 
forts  was  entirely  closed. 

Facing  a  Difficult  Task. 

The  task  that  lay  before  Farragut  and  his  fleet  \vas  to  break  through 
these  obstructions,  pass  up  the  channel  of  the  river  between  the  forts, 
conquer  the  Confederate  fleet,  steam  up  to  New  Orleans,  and  demand 
the  surrender  of  the  city.  Great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  the  very 
first  step  of  the  work  in  getting  some  of  the  boats  through  the  passes. 
In  fact,  the  "Colorado,"  which  drew  twenty-two  feet  of  water,  could  not 
be  taken  in  at  all,  as  there  was  but  fifteen  feet  on  the  bar,  and  the  "Mis 
sissippi,"  after  being  lightened  in  every  possible  manner,  was  dragged 
over  by  tug-boats  through  a  foot  of  mud. 

On  the  afternoon  of  April  17,  the  mortar-boats  were  placed  in  posi 
tion  and  opened  fire  on  the  forts.  The  bombardment  continued  with 
little  interruption  for  six  days,  when  Farragut  decided  that  the  condi 
tion  of  affairs  warranted  an  attempt  to  pass  the  forts.  According  to  sig 
nal,  on  the  morning  of  April  24,  at  2  o'clock,  the  Federal  fleet  got  under 
way.  The  enemy  opened  fire  as  soon  as  the  head  of  the  column  of  ad 
vancing  vessels  came  within  range,  but  one  by  one  they  ran  the  gauntlet. 

Confederate  Resistance  to  the  Assault. 

Above  the  forts  the  Confederate  gunboats  were  massed,  and  they 
brought  a  rapid  and  heavy  fire  to  bear  upon  the  attacking  fleet,  but  they 


GEORGE   DEWEY  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR.  139 

being  overmatched  were  easily  disposed  of.  One  hour  and  ten  minutes 
after  weighing  anchor  the  vessels  had  passed  the  forts  and  Farragut 
was  on  his  way  to  New  Orleans.  As  the  fleet  was  nearing  quarantine, 
some  distance  above  the  forts,  the  "Manassas,"  an  iron-clad  ram  in  the 
Confederate  service  was  seen  coming  up  the  river  in  pursuit.  Captain 
Smith  was  ordered  to  turn  the  "Mississippi"  and  run  her  down.  The 
order  was  instantly  obeyed,  and  the  "Mississippi"  started  at  full  speed. 
It  seemed  certain  that  the  ram  would  be  annihilated  by  the  shock  of  the 
contact,  but  when  the  "Mississippi"  was  within  fifty  yards  of  her  she 
suddenly  shifted  her  helm  and  dodged  the  blowr.  However,  the  man 
euver  resulted  in  disaster  in  another  form,  for  she  ran  ashore,  where 
Captain  Smith's  gunners  poured  two  broadsides  into  her  and  sent  her 
drifting  down  the  river,  a  total  wreck. 

Thus  was  accomplished  one  of  the  greatest  feats  in  the  history  of 
naval  warfare.  Farragut  started  with  seventeen  wooden  vessels  against 
the  swift  current  of  a  stream  but  little  more  than  half  a  mile  wide,  be 
tween  two  powerful  earthworks  that  had  been  prepared  for  his  coming, 
his  course  impeded  by  burning  rafts,  and  meeting  the  enemy's  fleet  of 
fifteen  vessels,  two  of  them  iron-clad,  he  either  captured  or  destroyed 
them  all.  And  all  this  with  the  actual  loss  of  but  one  of  his  own  squad 
ron. 

Preparing  to  Attack  New  Orleans. 

On  the  morning  of  April  25,  the  fleet  arrived  at  a  point  less  than 
three  miles  below  the  City  of  New  Orleans.  Here  was  Jackson's  old  bat 
tle-ground  of  January  8,  1815,  and  here  Farragut's  right-of-way  wras  dis 
puted  by  the  Chalmette  batteries.  These  works — on  both  sides  of  the 
river — mounted  twenty  heavy  guns,  and  were  prepared  to  receive  the 
approaching  vessels.  However,  they  were  silenced  in  short  order,  and  at 
last  the  City  of  the  Crescent  was  fairly  under  Federal  guns.  The  haven 
had  been  reached  at  a  cost  to  the  fleet  of  thirty-seven  men  killed  and  147 
wounded.  From  this  point  resistance  ceased,  and  about  noon  the  fleet 
anchored  off  the  city,  which  the  retreat  of  the  Confederate  forces  under 
General  Lovell  had  left  defenseless  in  the  hands  of  the  civil  authorities. 

Meanwhile  Lieutenant-Commander  John  Gurst  had  been  sent  to  Fort 
Jackson  under  a  flag  of  truce,  to  demand  from  its  commander  the  im 
mediate  surrender  of  the  forts  and  the  remnants  of  the  Confederate  navy 


140  GEORGE   DEWEY  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR. 

at  that  place.  General  Duncan,  the  commanding  officer,  refused  to  com 
ply  with  the  demand,  whereupon  Commander  Porter  opened  a  rapid 
mortar-fire  upon  Fort  Jackson.  This  caused  a  mutiny  among  the 
garrison,  who  refused  to  be  longer  the  targets  of  the  conqueror's  guns, 
and  many  deserted  from  the  works  and  retreated  up  the  river  out  of 
range.  Finally,  realizing  that  further  resistance  was  worse  than  use 
less,  the  Confederate  general  signified  his  willingness  to  surrender,  and 
on  the  29th  the  capitulation  was  signed. 

A  Daring  Visit  to  New  Orleans. 

Immediately  after  reaching  New  Orleans  Farragut  sent  Captain 
Bailey  and  Lieutenant  Perkins  on  shore  to  demand  from  the  mayor  the 
surrender  of  the  city.  These  two  officers  went  on  their  perilous  service 
without  an  escort,  and  passed  through  a  crowd  of  vagabonds,  thieves, 
ragpickers  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  slums,  paying  no  attention  to 
the  threats  of  the  howling  mob,  but  walking  as  steadily  as  if  they  had  a 
regiment  .of  soldiers  at  their  backs.  They  reached  the  mayor's  home, 
and  were  shown  into  his  presence.  "We  have  come,"  said  Captain  Bailey, 
"to  demand  the  surrender  of  New  Orleans.  The  state  flag  must  be 
hauled  down  from  the  public  buildings,  and  the  United  States  flag  must 
be  hoisted  there." 

"You  have  the  power  in  your  own  hands,"  the  mayor  replied,  "and 
can  do  as  you  please,  but  I  doubt  if  there  is  a  man  in  New  Orleans 
who  would  haul  down  that  flag  without  being  assassinated  on  the  spot." 
The  officers  returned  to  the  flagship  and  reported  the  result  of  their 
mission. 

Soon  after  their  return,  Captain  Charles  H.  Bell,  with  a  guard  of 
marines  and  two  boat  howitzers  loaded  with  grape  and  cannister,  were 
landed,  with  instructions  to  pull  down  the  Confederate  flags  and  restore 
the  Stars  and  Stripes  to  their  accustomed  places.  The  same  mob  met  the 
marines  at  the  levee,  but  gave  way  before  them,  and  they  marched  to  the 
state-house  and  to  the  custom-house,  where  Old  Glory  was  flung  to  the 
breeze,  amid  the  cheers  of  the  boys  in  blue  who  were  watching  from  the 
ships. 

Dewey's  Service  on  the  Mississippi. 

A  few  days  afterward  the  steamers  of  the  mortar  flotilla  towed  the 
transports  with  Major-General  Butler's  army  on  board  to  New  Orleans, 


DEWEY'S  FIRST   CRUISE 

When  his  father  began  to  chide  him  for  his  rashness  he  replied,  "You  ought  to  be 
thankful  that  my  life  was  spared." 


DEWEY  SAVING  THE  LIFE  OF  A  SAILOR 


AND 


THE  EXPLOSION  ON  THE  MISSISSIPPI 


GEORGE  DEWEY  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAB.  143 

and  under  the  guns  of  Farragut's  squadron  the  troops  landed,  and  order 
was  re-established  in  the  city. 

For  several  months  the  "Mississippi,"  in  conjunction  with  other  ves 
sels  of  the  fleet,  patroled  the  river  between  New  Orleans  and  Vicks- 
burg,  frequently  ascending  the  bayous,  and  doing  good  work  for  the 
Federal  cause.  Lieutenant  Dewey  was  still  second  in  rank  aboard  the 
"Mississippi,"  a  favorite  of  the  admiral,  even  then  showing  himself  to 
be  a  man,  not  only  of  great  personal  bravery  but  of  remarkable  executive 
ability  as  well. 

From  January,  1863,  the  "Mississippi"  was  employed  in  assisting 
General  Banks  to  force  his  way  into  the  interior  of  Louisiana,  and  bring 
ing  all  of  the  country  that  could  be  secured  under  subjection.  This  was 
a  difficult  task,  for  the  enemy  opposed  the  Federal  forces  at  every  step 
with  a  courage  and  determination  very  difficult  to  overcome. 

In  March  it  was  decided  by  Rear- Admiral  Farragut  and  General 
Banks  that  the  former  should  move  with  his  fleet  past  Port  Hudson, 
which  was  at  that  time  well  fortified  with  nineteen  heavy  guns  bearing 
on  the  water  approaches.  General  Banks  was  to  make  a  diversion  with 
his  army  against  the  forts,  and  the  mortar  flotilla  was  to  open  on  the  bat 
teries  prior  to  and  during  the  passage  of  the  fleet. 

Movement  Against  Port  Hudson. 

Farragut  brought  with  him  from  New  Orleans  for  the  purpose  of 
passing  Port  Hudson  the  following  vessels: 

Hartford,  Captain  J.  S.  Palmer 28  guns 

Richmond,  Commander  James  Alden 25  " 

Monongahela,  Captain  J.  P.  McKinstry 11  " 

Mississippi,  Captain  Melancton  Smith 19  " 

Essex,  Commander  C.  H.  B.  Caldwell 7  " 

Albatross,  Lieutenant-Commander  J.  E.  Hart 7  " 

Genesee,  Commander  W.  H.  Macomb 8  " 

Kineo,  Lieutenant-Commander  John  Waters 6  " 

Sachem,  Lieutenant  Amos  Johnston 5  " 

Five  mortar  schooners. . .  5  " 


Total 121  guns 

The  first  four  were  sloops-of-war,  the  "Essex"  a  river  iron-clad,  the 
other  four  were  gunboats.    The  order  of  battle  prescribed  that  each  of 


144  GEORGE   DEWEY  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR. 

the  larger  vessels — except  the  "Mississippi,"  which  was  a  side-wheeler — 
should  take  a  gunboat  firmly  lashed  on  the  port  side,  away  from  the 
batteries,  and  that  they  should  proceed  up  the  river  in  the  order  named 
above,  the  Hartford  in  the  lead.  The  mortar-boats  were  anchored  near 
the  east  bank,  about  a  mile  below  the  batteries.  The  captains  were 
reminded  that  the  object  of  the  movement  was  to  pass  the  batteries 
with  the  least  possible  damage  to  their  vessels,  so  as  to  secure  as  efficient 
a  force  as  possible  for  patroling  the  river  above. 

Desperate  Night  Engagement. 

At  9  o'clock,  on  the  night  of  March  14,  the  signal  was  made  for  the 
ships  to  get  into  line,  and  as  soon  as  this  was  accomplished  the  Hartford 
slowly  steamed  ahead.  At  11 :20  p.  m.  two  rockets  were  fired  on  the  east 
bank,  and  almost  immediately  the  batteries  opened  fire.  The  fleet  and 
the  mortar-boats  quickly  answered  and  for  more  than  an  hour  the  noise 
of  150  guns  firing  as  rapidly  as  possible  was  incessant.  The  enemy  built 
bonfires  at  different  points,  to  perfect  their  aim,  and  these  added  to  the 
illumination  and  enhanced  the  grandeur  of  the  scene. 

The  "Hartford"  passed  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  muzzles  of 
the  enemy's  guns,  delivering  an  effective  fire  as  she  steamed  up  the  river. 
The  "Richmond,"  with  the  "Genesee"  as  her  consort,  reached  the  last 
battery  in  safety,  and  was  about  to  pass  when  a  shot  carried  away  the 
safety  valves  of  her  boilers  and  allowed  so  much  steam  to  escape  into 
her  fire-room  that  she  was  entirely  deprived  of  her  motive  power.  Her 
consort  was  not  able  to  drag  both  vessels  against  the  current  of  the 
stream,  and  they  were  allowed  to  float  down  again  below  the  forts, 
where  they  were  anchored. 

The  "Monongahela"  and  "Kineo,"  the  next  in  line,  also  met  with  dis 
aster.  The  firing  from  the  "Hartford"  and  "Richmond"  had  by  this 
time  so  filled  the  air  with  smoke  that  it  was  impossible  to  distinguish 
objects  near  by,  and  the  pilots  were  completely  at  sea.  At  11:30  the 
"Monongahela"  grounded  on  the  west  shore  of  the  river  and  was  ex 
posed  to  severe  fire  for  nearly  a  half  an  hour.  Her  consort  finally  suc 
ceeded  in  pulling  her  off,  and  she  in  turn  drifted  down  the  stream  and 
anchored  beside  the  "Richmond." 


GEORGE   DEWEY  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR.  145 


Loss  of  the  "Mississippi." 

The  "Mississippi"  followed  in  the  wake  of  the  "Monongahela,"  firing 
wherever  her  guns  could  be  brought  to  bear.  At  12:30  a.  m.  she 
grounded  hard  and  fast,  and  it  was  found  necessary  to  abandon  her.  Her 
engines  were  destroyed,  small  arms  thrown  overboard,  the  sick  and 
wounded  landed  on  the  shore,  and  fires  kindled  in  several  parts  of  the 
ship.  When  these  were  well  under  way  the  captain  left  the  ship,  and 
with  his  crew  in  open  boats  went  past  the  batteries  to  the  fleet  below. 

The  task  of  getting  the  men  to  safety  devolved  on  Lieutenant  Dewey. 
Twice  he  went  to  the  "Richmond"  and  twice  came  back,  until  at  last  he 
and  Captain  Smith  stood  alone  on  the  deck. 

"Are  you  sure  she  will  burn,  Dewey?"  the  captain  asked  as  he  paused 
at  the  gangway. 

Dewey  risked  his  life  to  go  to  the  ward-room  for  a  last  look,  and  to 
gether  they  left  the  ship,  sorrowfully,  with  the  shot  splashing  all  around 
them. 

Captain  Smith's  report  of  the  catastrophe  was  in  part  as  follows: 
"Our  approach  was  signalled  by  the  rebels  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river, 
and  at  11  o'clock  p.  m.  the  batteries  opened  fire  upon  the  flagship.  At 
this  time  the  'Essex'  engaged  the  lower  batteries,  the  bomb-vessels  com 
menced  shelling,  the  flagship  opened  fire,  and  the  engagement  became 
general  as  the  vessels  came  in  range.  At  11:30  p.  m.  the  'Richmond' 
passed  down  the  river  and  owing  to  the  darkness  and  smoke  was  for 
some  time  taken  for  an  enemy  by  the  crew  of  the  'Mississippi,'  who  were 
with  difficulty  kept  from  firing  into  her. 

When  the  "Mississippi"  Grounded. 

"The  'Monongahela,'  wThich  was  the  one  next  ahead,  could  not  at  this 
time  be  seen.  Supposing  that  she  had  increased  her  speed,  the  order 
was  given  to  'go  ahead  fast,'  that  we  might  close  up.  WTe  had  now 
reached  the  last  and  most  formidable  batteries,  and  were  congratulating 
ourselves  upon  having  gained  the  turn,  when  the  'Mississippi'  grounded 
and  heeled  over  three  streaks  to  port.  The  engine  was  immediately 
reversed  and  the  port  guns  (which  had  not  been  fired)  were  run  in,  to 
bring  her  on  an  even  keel ;  after  which  her  own  fire  from  the  starboard 


146  GEORGE   DEWEY  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR 

battery  was  recommenced.  The  engine  was  backed  for  thirty-five  min 
utes,  and  the  steam  was  increased  from  13  to  25  pounds,  which  was  con 
sidered  by  the  chief  engineer  the  greatest  pressure  the  boilers  would 
bear,  when  the  pilot  stated  that,  it  would  be  impossible  to  get  the  vessel 
off.  I  then  ordered  the  port  battery  to  be  spiked,  and  the  pivot-gun 
to  be  thrown  overboard;  but  the  latter  was  not  accomplished  before  I 
deemed  it  most  judicious  and  humane  to  abandon  the  vessel,  as  the 
enemy  had  obtained  our  range  and  we  were  exposed  to  the  galling  and 
cross-fire  of  three  batteries,  their  shot  hulling  us  frequently. 

Abandoning  the  Wrecked  Vessel. 

"The  sick  and  wounded  were  now  ordered  up,  at  which  time  we 
ceased  firing,  and  three  small  boats  (all  we  had)  were  immediately  em 
ployed  in  landing  the  crew,  while  preparations  were  being  made  to 
destroy  the  vessel.  Up  to  this  time  the  men  had  been  working  the  guns 
in  the  most  splendid  style,  and  aiming  at  every  flash,  which  was  the  only 
guide  to  the  location  of  the  rebel  works.  It  was  by  no  means  certain 
that  the  officers  and  crew  would  not,  even  after  landing,  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy,  as  musketry  had  been  fired  from  the  west  shore 
on  our  passage  up;  but,  as  this  was  of  less  consequence  than  the  capture 
of  the  ship,  the  crew  were  directed  to  throw  overboard  all  the  small 
arms,  the  engineers  ordered  to  destroy  the  engine,  and  the  ship  set  on 
fire  in  the  forward  store-room.  To  be  positive  that  this  was  effectually 
done,  the  yeoman  was  sent  below  to  make  an  examination,  when  three 
shots  entered  the  store-room,  letting  in  the  water  and  extinguishing 
the  flames.  She  was  then  fired  in  four  different  places  aft  between  the 
decks;  and,  when  the  combustion  had  made  sufficient  progress  to  ren 
der  her  destruction  certain,  I  left  the  ship,  accompanied  by  the  first  lieu 
tenant,  all  having  now  been  landed,  and  passed  down  to  the  'Richmond' 
under  the  fire  of  the  rebel  batteries. 

High  Praise  for  Lieutenant  Dewey. 

"At  8  o'clock  a.  m.  the  'Mississippi'  was  observed  to  be  afloat  and 
drifting  slowly  down  the  river,  and  at  half  past  five  she  blew  up,  pro 
ducing  an  awful  concussion,  which  was  felt  for  miles  around. 

"I  consider  that  I  should  be  neglecting  a  most  important  duty  should 
I  omit  to  mention  the  coolness  of  my  executive  officer,  Mr.  Dewey,  and 


GEORGE   DEWEY   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR.  147 

the  steady,  fearless  and  gallant  manner  in  which  the  officers  and  men 
of  the  'Mississippi'  defended  her,  and  the  orderly  and  quiet  manner  in 
which  she  was  abandoned  after  being  thirty-five  minutes  aground  under 
the  fire  of  the  enemy's  batteries." 

Dewey  is  next  found  in  the  capacity  of  first  lieutenant  of  a  gunboat 
used  by  the  admiral  as  a  dispatch  boat.  This  established  closer  relations 
between  the  two  men,  and  Farragut  formed  a  sincere  regard  for  the 
young  lieutenant.  The  Confederates  had  a  trick  of  suddenly  appearing 
on  the  high  banks  of  the  river  with  a  field  piece,  firing  point  blank  at 
any  boat  that  might  be  within  range,  and  disappearing  as  quickly  as 
they  came.  Upon  one  of  these  occasions  a  shot  came  within  a  hair's- 
breadth  of  Dewey,  and  involuntarily  he  jumped  aside  trying  to  escape  it. 
The  admiral  happened  to  be  near  at  the  time,  and  said:  "Why  don't  you 
stand  firm,  lieutenant?  Don't  you  know  you  can't  jump  quick  enough?" 

When  Admiral  Farragut  Dodged  a  Shot. 

Soon  afterward  Farragut  dodged  a  shot  under  similar  circum 
stances.  The  lieutenant  smiled  but  held  his  tongue.  But  the  admiral 
had  a  guilty  conscience.  He  cleared  his  throat,  shifted  his  position  and 
finally  said:  "Why,  sir,  you  can't  help  it,  sir.  It's  human  nature,  and 
there's  an  end  to  it!" 

Dewey  was  afterwards  given  the  command  of  the  "Monongahela,"  a 
post  made  vacant  by  the  death  of  her  commander,  Abner  Reed,  who  was 
killed  by  a  rifle-shell  fired  from  the  batteries  a  few  miles  below  Donald- 
sonville,  La.  This  appointment  was  only  temporary,  however,  as  the 
lieutenant  was  shortly  afterwards  transferred  to  the  steam  gunboat 
"Agawam,"  which  was  attached  to  the  North  Atlantic  Blockading 
Squadron. 

At  the  time  of  the  two  attacks  on  Fort  Fisher  he  was  first  lieutenant 
of  the  "Colorado,"  Commodore  Henry  Knox  Thatcher  commanding. 

Operations  Against  Fort  Fisher. 

At  the  entrance  of  Cape  Fear  River,  North  Carolina,  the  Confederates 
had  erected  a  huge  fortification,  which  was  called  Fort  Fisher,  and  here 
the  principal  operations  of  the  blockade  runners  were  carried  on,  supply 
ing  the  Southern  armies  with  clothing,  food,  a-rms  and  munitions  of  war. 


148  GEORGE   DEWEY   IN   THE   CIVIL  WAR. 

It  finally  became  evident  to  the  United  States  Navy  Department  that 
unless  these  supplies  were  cut  off  the  war  would  necessarily  be  greatly 
prolonged.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  made  an  application  to  the  War 
Department,  in  September,  1864,  for  troops  to  co-operate  with  the  navy 
in  an  attack  on  the  Cape  Fear  River  defenses,  and  being  encouraged  to 
expect  assistance,  began  to  assemble  a  proper  force  of  vessels  for  the 
occasion.  The  command  of  the  squadron  was  tendered  to  Rear-Admiral 
Farragut,  but  on  account  of  failing  health  the  offer  was  declined,  and 
Rear-Admiral  Porter  was  detached  from  the  Mississippi  squadron  and 
assigned  to  the  enviable  position. 

By  the  15th  of  October  about  one  hundred  ships  of  war  were  assem 
bled  at  Hampton  Roads.  Many  of  them  were  from  other  squadrons, 
which  had  been  depleted  for  the  occasion.  There  was  a  great  variety  of 
vessels,  as  every  class  in  the  navy  was  represented,  from  the  lofty  frigate 
down  to  the  fragile  steamer  taken  from  the  merchant  service;  but  all 
mounted  good  guns. 

Then  came  a  delay  in  the  attack,  caused  by  the  fact  that  the  army 
co-operation  which  was  so  necessary  to  the  success  of  the  plan  was  not 
forthcoming  at  the  time  it  had  been  promised. 

First  Naval  Attack  on  the  Fortress. 

After  a  tedious  delay  of  over  two  months  the  forts  were  finally  en 
gaged  by  the  fleet  on  December  24.  During  the  heavy  fire  from  the  fleet 
an  explosion  took  place  within  the  main  fort,  and  immediately  flames 
were  observed  streaming  high  above  the  walls.  The  Federals  were  cer 
tain  that  they  had  fired  the  barracks  and  other  tenements  connected 
with  the  forts.  During  the  continuance  of  this  blaze,  which  lasted  for 
hours,  not  a  gun  was  fired  by  the  enemy,  except  from  an  isolated  section 
of  the  fort  called  the  "Mound  Battery." 

The  attack  was  resumed  on  the  following  day,  and  as  the  range  was 
shorter  the  firing  of  the  fleet  was  much  more  accurate.  Commodore 
Thatcher  in  his  official  report  of  the  siege  says:  "It  is  my  belief  that  not 
a  shot  or  shell  was  fired  by  the  advanced  line  of  ships  that  did  not  either 
penetrate  the  earthworks  of  the  enemy  or  explode  within  them.  On  the 
first  day,  1,569  projectiles  were  fired  -from  the  'Colorado'  into  the  fort. 
This  ship  ('Colorado')  planted  230  shots  into  the  enemy's  works  on  the 
25th,  and  exploded  996  shells." 


GEORGE   DEWEY  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR.  149 

Admiral  Porter  was  greatly  disappointed  in  the  support  given  him 
by  the  army  in  this  affair,  and  claimed  that  had  it  been  properly  man 
aged  by  General  Butler,  who  was  in  command  of  the  land  forces,  Fort 
Fisher  could  have  been  taken  easily.  Be  that  as  it  may,  there  can  be  no 
question  regarding  the  good  work  done  by  the  navy. 

Second  Assault  on  Fort  Fisher. 

About  two  weeks  later  a  force  of  8,000  men,  under  General  Terry, 
was  sent  to  assist  the  fleet  in  taking  the  fort.  They  were  landed,  on 
January  13,  as  fast  as  120  boats  could  put  them  on  shore.  It  was  deter 
mined  before  the  army  made  its  assault  on  the  fort  that  there  should  be 
no  guns  within  reach  to  impede  its  progress.  At  9  a.  m.,  on  the  15th,  the 
fleet  was  directed  by  signal  to  attack  in  three  lines.  The  vessels  all 
reached  their  stations  about  11  a.  m.,  and  each  opened  fire  when 
anchored.  The  fire  wras  kept  up  furiously  all  day,  and  in  the  meantime 
the  land  forces  were  making  a  gallant  struggle  to  carry  the  fort  by 
storm.  They  chased  the  enemy  from  traverse  to  traverse  until  the  Con 
federates  broke  and  fled  in  panic  before  them. 

Thus  ended  a  battle  in  which  the  Confederates  lost  one  of  their  safest 
strongholds,  besides  1,800  men  taken  prisoners  and  700  killed  and 
wounded. 

Dewey  Scores  Another  Triumph. 

Towards  the  end  of  this  fight  Admiral  Porter  signaled  to  Commo 
dore  Thatcher,  of  the  "Colorado,"  to  close  in  and  silence  a.  certain  part 
of  the  w^orks.  The  ship  had  already  been  struck  several  times  by  the 
shells  of  the  enemy,  and  Dewey  saw  instantly  the  advantage  to  be 
gained  by  the  move.  "We  shall  be  safer  in  there,"  he  remarked,  "and 
the  works  can  be  taken  in  fifteen  minutes."  The  signal  was  obeyed  and 
Dewey's  prediction  proved  a  correct  one. 

When  Admiral  Porter  came  to  congratulate  Commodore  Thatcher, 
the  latter  disclaimed  any  credit  for  the  success  of  the  maneuver,  but  gen 
erously  said:  "You  must  thank  Lieutenant  Dewey,  sir." 

Immediately  after  the  Fort  Fisher  engagement  Commodore  Thatcher 
was  named  as  acting  rear-admiral,  and  a  few  weeks  later  was  ordered  to 
Mobile  bay,  where  he  relieved  Farragut.  He  recommended  Dewey  for 


150  GEORGE   DEWEY  IN  THE   CIVIL  WAR. 

his  fleet  captaincy,  but  the  department  did  not  see  fit  to  follow  the  sug 
gestion. 

At  the  End  of  the  War. 

However,  March  3,  1865,  his  ability  was  recognized  and  his  bravery 
rewarded  by  a  commission  as  lieutenant-commander.  Dewey  thus 
reached  in  eleven  years  from  the  time  he  entered  the  academy  a  rank 
to  attain  which  in  time  of  peace  frequently  requires  a  service  of  thirty 
years.  His  association  with  Farragut,  Porter,  Thatcher,  Smith  and 
many  other  naval  heroes  of  the  times  did  much  to  give  him  a  prac 
tical  knowledge  of  warfare  on  river  and  sea;  and  his  natural  ability, 
his  fertility  of  resource,  and  his  quickness  of  comprehension  under  try 
ing  circumstances,  were  qualities  which  he  was  then  developing,  and 
which  brought  him  the  praise  of  a  world  in  after  years. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 
DEWEY    FROM    WAR  TO   WAR. 

When  the  Civil  War  Ended — On  the  European  Station — Incidents  of  the 
Cruise — Marriage  and  Bereavement  of  Dewey — Service  in  Asiatic 
Waters — Successive  Promotions — Shore  Duty  in  Washington — Ordered 
to  Command  the  Asiatic  Squadron — The  Thanks  of  the  Nation- 
Presents  and  Honors — Dewey  an  Admiral. 

The  qualities  which  Dewey  demonstrated  in  the  Civil  War,  and  the 
reputation  which  he  brought  out  of  that  conflict,  gave  him  high  standing 
in  the  estimation  of  his  superior  officers,  and  many  creditable  assign 
ments  fell  to  him  in  the  years  intervening  before  the  next  conflict  in 
which  he  was  to  be  engaged. 

Immediately  following  the  war  Lieutenant-Commander  Dewey  served 
for  two  years  on  the  European  station,  first  in  the  "Kearsarge,"  which 
had  gained  fame  by  sinking  the  Confederate  cruiser  "Alabama,"  and 
which  was  lost,  thirty  years  later,  on  Roncador  reef  in  the  Caribbean 
sea.  Next  he  was  assigned  to  the  frigate  "Colorado,"  the  flagship  of  the 
squadron,  under  command  of  Rear-Admiral  Goldsborough.  J.  C.  Wat 
son,  who  was  then  a  lieutenant-commander  like  Dewey,  and  who  is  now 
a  rear-admiral,  was  one  of  Dewey's  messmates  in  the  same  vessel.  W. 
W.  Stone,  who  was  ship's  writer  on  board  the  flagship,  relates  an  inci 
dent  which  involves  not  only  the  two  lieutenant-commanders,  but  the 
admiral  as  well. 

An  Irishman  in  this  Story. 

Admiral  Goldsborough's  valet,  John,  who  at  one  time  had  been  a  ser 
vant  of  President  Lincoln  in  the  White  House,  was  a  witty  but  bungling 
Irishman.  One  morning  the  admiral  sent  word  down  to  John  that  he 
wanted  his  glass,  meaning,  of  course,  his  spyglass.  John,  as  usual,  how 
ever,  misunderstood,  and  came  tramping  up  to  the  bridge  with  a  goblet 
in  his  hand. 

"John,  you're  the  devil's  own  valet,"  growled  the  admiral  when  he 
saw  him  coming. 


152  DEWEY  FROM  WAK  TO  WAR 

"Faith,  sor,  I  didn't  think  I'd  come  to  that  same  when  I  took  service 
wid  ye,  sor." 

"Throw  that  blamed  goblet  overboard  and  go  and  get  me  my  spy 
glass  as  I  told  you,  you  infernal  idiot." 

"Yes,  sor,"  said  John,  calmly  tossing  the  glass  over  the  side.  In 
doing  so  he  narrowly  escaped  dashing  it  upon  the  upturned  face  of  the 
executive  officer,  Lieutenant-Commander  George  Dewey.  Mr.  Dewey 
was  on  a  tour  of  inspection,  circling  the  frigate  in  one  of  the  cutters. 
The  "Colorado"  had  just  arrived  from  Trieste.  The  passage  down  the 
Adriatic  sea  had  been  a  stormy  one,  and  the  painstaking  executive  offi 
cer  of  the  vessel  wanted  to  see  for  himself  how  the  old  ship  looked  after 
her  battle  with  the  waves. 

Dewey  Wants  to  Know  About  It. 

"It  was  a  lovely  spring  Sunday  morning,"  says  the  narrator.  "We 
had  dropped  anchor  in  the  beautiful  bay  of  Naples,  and  I  had  crept  up 
into  the  mizzentop  to  drink  in  with  boyish  zest  the  delights  of  our  glor 
ious  surroundings.  Off  our  beam  lay  Ischia  and  Capri,  standing  like 
stern  Kornan  sentinels  on  guard,  at  the  horns  of  the  bay.  Ahead  lay 
old  Vesuvius,  from  whose  ,grim  apex  I  could  see  floating  upward  a  hazy 
wreath,  significant  of  the  unrest  beneath.  I  watched  the  old  admiral 
with  a  great  deal  of  interest.  Had  I  been  a  kodak  fiend  I  should  then 
and  there  have  forfeited  my  appointment  by  taking  a  snap  shot  at  the 
irate  officer  as  he  glared  at  the  sleek,  unconcerned  menial. 

"  'Go  below,  you  blundering  Irishman,  before  I  have  you  tossed  over 
after  the  glass.'  The  man  disappeared  with  just  the  suspicion  of  a  smirk 
on  his  innocent  looking  face. 

"  'Mr.  Dewey  would  like  to  have  you  find  out,  sir,  who  is  heaving 
crockery  over  the  side  of  the  ship,  sir,'  one  of  the  crew  of  the  cutter 
said  to  Lieutenant-Commander  John  Crittenden  WTatson,  at  the  time 
officer  of  the  deck.  The  admiral  overheard  the  message  of  the  angry 
executive  and  laughed  quietly. 

"  'Tell  Mr.  Dewey  that  it  was  the  admiral,  my  man,'  said  he  soberly; 
then,  turning  to  Mr.  WTatson  he  remarked,  'lie  can't  very  well  put  the 
admiral  in  the  brig,  though  I  may  deserve  it.' 

"  'He  may  look  around  for  a  substitute,  admiral/  answered  Mr. 
Watson,  smiling. 


DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR.  153 

"  'Oh,  no,  Dewey  has  too  keen  a  sense  of  justice  for  that.  Besides,  I 
remember  him  saying  once  that  he  had  no  use  for  substitutes.' 

Dewey's  Dignity  Involved. 

"A  few  moments  after  this  Mr.  Dewey  himself  came  over  the  star 
board  gangway,  saluting  the  admiral  with  rather  a  haughty  air.  You 
see,  a  32-pounder  may  spin  merrily  past  a  fellow's  head  aboard  a  man- 
o'-war  and  serve  merely  as  a  hook  on  which  to  hang  the  old  time  jest 
about  a  'miss  being  as  good  as  a  mile,'  but  when  a  plain  matter  of  fact, 
plebeian  tumbler  shoots  past  you,  contrary  to  the  articles  of  war  and 
in  direct  violation  of  established  naval  etiquette,  the  circumstance  that 
you  have  escaped  mutilation  is  only  an  excrescence  alongside  of  the  glar 
ing  fact  that  your  dignity  has  been  very  violently  assaulted. 

"The  admiral  looked  down  and  took  in  the  situation.  Descending 
to  the  quarter  deck,  he  approached  Dewey  and  said  with  a  friendly 
air,  'I  say,  Dewey,  did  you  ever  read  Handy  Andy?' 

"  'Yes,  sir,'  rather  shortly. 

"  'Well,  now,  I  must  have  his  cousin  aboard.'  And  the  admiral  re 
lated  the  glass  incident.  The  two  laughed  over  the  blunder,  Mr.  Dewey 
having  recovered  his  usual  good  nature  by  this  time. 

When  John  Served  President  Lincoln. 

"  'You  see,  Dewey,  I  have  a  sort  of  interest  in  the  fellow.  The  secre 
tary  recommended  him  to  me  as  a  good,  faithful  serving  man.  He  had 
been  attached  to  Mr.  Lincoln  as  his  personal  attendant,  and  I  took  the 
scamp  partly  on  that  account.  Ah,  here  he  comes  at  last  with  my  glass! 
John,  did  Mr.  Lincoln  ever  score  you  for  your  awkwardness?' 

"  'No,  sor,  he  never  did.  Many  the  time  he  tould  me  that  it  wor 
a  mercy  that  we  were  tegither,  because,  said  he,  his  mind  wor  taken 
off  affairs  of  state  by  thinkin'  did  he  wurruk  harder  tellin'  me  how  to 
do  things  than  if  he  wint  and  did  them  himself.' 

"  'Doubtless,  doubtless,'  said  the  admiral,  laughing. 

"  'I  want  you  to  remember,  John,'  said  Mr.  Dewey  severely,  'that  it 
is  strictly  against  the  rules  of  this  ship  to  throw  anything  over  the  sides. 
You  came  very  near  striking  me  in  the  head  with  your  glass  tossing.' 

"  'That  wor  a  pity,  sor.' 


154  DEWEY  FROM   WAR  TO  WAR. 

"'A  pity!'  exclaimed  Dywey  savagely.  'By  Jim,  I'd  have  come  up 
and  had  you  put  in  double  irons.' 

"  'No,  sor,  axin'  yer  pardon,  I  hope  not.' 

"  'What's  that?'  roared  the  future  admiral  angrily. 

"  'Troth,  sor,  d'ye  mind  the  mornin'  tellin'  me  that  ye  wor  to  do  the 
thinkin'  an'  I  wor  to  obey  orders,  even  if  I  bruk  owners?' 

"The  two  laughed  heartily  at  this  hit,  and  John  went  below  with 
colors  flying." 

George  Dewey  Meets  His  Present  Wife. 

Returning  to  the  United  States,  Dewey  was  sent  to  duty  at  the 
Kittery  Navy  Yard,  just  across  the  river  from  Portsmouth,  New  Hamp 
shire.  He  was  a  handsome  and  popular  fellow,  and  a  welcome  visitor 
in  the  homes  of  the  citizens  of  Portsmouth.  Here  it  was  that  he  met 
the  young  woman  who  became  his  wife,  wrhose  death  a  few  years  later 
was  the  greatest  grief  that  has  come  into  his  life.  Ichabod  Goodwin 
of  Portsmouth  was  the  war  governor  of  the  state  and  to  this  day  is 
spoken  of  as  "Fighting  Governor  Goodwin."  It  was  the  daughter  of  the 
governor  wTho  became  Mrs.  Dewey.  Governor  Goodwin  was  himself  a 
popular  hero  of  the  times.  He  had  been  one  of  the  most  loyal  and  ener 
getic  of  the  supporters  of  the  Union  during  the  days  of  strife  and  his 
favor  was  ready  for  any  worthy  man  who  had  served  his  country. 

Dewey  Has  a  Rival. 

Town  gossip  named  two  gallant  naval  officers  as  rivals  for  the  hand 
of  pretty  Miss  Susie  Goodwin.  One  was  young  Dewey  and  the  other 
Commander  S.  C.  Rhind.  The  latter  was  nearly  twenty  years  the  older  of 
the  two  and  of  equally  worthy  service.  He  it  was  who  took  the  powder- 
boat  "Louisiana"  almost  to  the  walls  of  Fort  Fisher,  a  deed  of  daring 
equal  to  that  of  Gushing  with  the  "Albemarle."  He  had  commanded 
the  "Agawam,"  on  which  Dewey  himself  served  for  a  short  time  during 
the  war.  But  the  young  woman  chose  the  young  man,  and  Rhind  sailed 
away,  to  become  a  rear-admiral  in  1883,  fifteen  years  before  Dewey's 
great  victory. 

Nowadays  the  people  of  Portsmouth  recall  that  the  odds  were 
against  the  older  and  more  dignified  officer  because,  in  addition  to 
the  great  favor  which  the  young  lieutenant  had  won  in  the  eyes  of  the 


DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR.  155 

young  woman,  there  was  the  aid  which  was  thrown  into  the  balance 
by  her  father,  the  "Fighting  Governor." 

"George  is  sort  of  reckless  sometimes,"  the  old  gentleman  once  re 
marked,  "but  hang  me  if  I  can  help  liking  him.  He's  honest  and  full  of 
grit,  and  he'll  be  heard  from  one  of  these  days." 

Domestic  Affairs  and  Promotion. 

Lieutenant-Commander  Dewey  and  Miss  Susie  Goodwin  were  mar 
ried  October  24th,  1867,  and  following  the  wedding  a  reception  was  held 
in  the  fine  old  Goodwin  homestead,  wrhich  is  still  standing  on  one  of  the 
quiet,  elm-shaded  streets  of  Portsmouth,  occupied  by  members  of  the 
Goodwin  family. 

In  1868  and  1869  Dewey  was  detailed  for  service  at  the  Annapolis 
Naval  Academy  as  an  instructor,  and  at  the  end  of  that  duty  he  obtained 
command  of  the  "Narragansett,"  which  was  nearly  all  the  time  on 
special  service  of  various  sorts  for  five  years.  His  commission  as  "com 
mander"  came  on  April  13,  1872.  It  seemed  a  promising,  happy  year  of 
his  life.  A  son  was  born  on  December  23,  but  the  young  mother  lived  but 
one  week  after  that  date.  The  child  was  christened  George  Goodwin 
Dewey.  The  father  was  never  re-married. 

George  Goodwin  Dewey  was  graduated  from  Princeton  College  in 
June,  1898,  and  since  that  time  he  has  been  in  the  office  of  Joy,  Langdon 
&  Co.,  commission  merchants,  of  New  York  City. 

Commander  Dewey's  service  in  the  "Narragansett"  included  an  in 
spection  of  torpedo  stations  and  then  some  years  in  making  surveys  of 
the  Pacific  coast.  In  1876  he  was  made  a  lighthouse  inspector,  perform 
ing  the  duties  attached  to  such  a  post  for  two  years,  after  which  he  be 
came  secretary  of  the  lighthouse  board,  a  position  which  he  filled  for 
more  than  four  years. 

First  Service  in  Asiatic  Waters. 

Dewey's  first  service  in  Asiatic  waters  was  in  1882,  when  he  was 
assigned  to  the  command  of  the  "Juniata,"  on  the  Asiatic  station.  The 
events  of  1898  proved  that  he  used  the  two  years  allotted  to  him  in  the 
Orient  at  that  time  to  good  advantage  by  learning  all  that  he  could  of 
the  people  and  the  ports  of  the  West  Pacific. 


156  DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR. 

When  the  four  vessels  which  formed  the  original  "White  Squadron" 
were  completed,  the  smallest  of  them,  the  "Dolphin,"  was  placed  under 
the  command  of  Dewey  and  he  was  given  his  commission  as  captain 
September  27,  1884.  A  writer  in  a  recent  magazine  relates  an  incident 
as  having  happened  while  Dewey  commanded  the  "Dolphin,"  which  cer 
tainly  never  occurred,  but  which  nevertheless  reads  well. 

"It  was  in  New  York  harbor,"  he  says,  "while  in  the  'Dolphin,'  that 
Captain  Dewey  showed  how  thoroughly  he  knew  the  vagaries  of  human 
nature  as  well  as  the  principles  of  good  discipline.  Perhaps  he  bore  in 
mind  some  lesson  inculcated  in  early  youth  by  a  wise  father.  At  any 
rate,  the  admiral  has  always  been  noted  for  his  ability  to  deal  with 
'Jack.'  The  'Jack'  in  question  was  a  paymaster's  yeoman,  or  something 
of  the  kind,  and  he  refused  to  obey  an  order  of  the  first  lieutenant,  be 
cause,  he  said,  it  was  outside  the  line  of  his  duty.  The  lieutenant,  after 
vainly  remonstrating  with  him,  reported  the  matter  to  Captain  Dewey, 
who  sauntered  out  on  deck  and  looked  his  man  through  and  through, 
which  made  the  yeoman  exceedingly  uncomfortable.  Nevertheless,  he 
remained  stubborn. 

"'What,'  said  the  captain,  'you  refuse!  Do  you  know  that  that  is 
mutiny?  When  you  entered  the  service  you  swore  to  obey  your  superior 
officers.' 

"The  man  was  silent  and  made  no  move,  whereupon  the  captain  very 
quietly  told  the  corporal  to  call  the  guard,  stood  the  obdurate  yeoman 
on  the  far  side  of  the  deck,  and  bade  the  marines  load.  Then  he  took 
out  his  watch. 

"  'Now,  my  man,'  said  he,  'you  have  just  five  minutes  in  which  to  obey 
that  order,'  and  began  to  call  the  minutes.  At  the  fourth  count  the 
yeoman  moved  off  with  considerable  alacrity,  and  has  since  been  one 
of  the  strongest  opponents  of  the  policy  of  tampering  with  'the  old  man,' 
as  the  admiral  has  been  for  some  time  affectionately  called  in  the  fore 
castle." 

Commanding  the  Flagship  in  Europe. 

In  1885,  Captain  Dewey  was  placed  in  command  6f  the  "Pensacola," 
the  flagship  of  the  European  squadron,  remaining  on  that  station  for 
three  years.  In  this  time  he  visited  all  the  principal  European  ports, 
and  gained  familiarity  with  many  of  the  European  naval  conditions, 
officers  and  fleets. 


DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR.  157 

A  blue-jacket  who  made  a  cruise  with  him  tells  this  characteristic 
story  in  the  New  York  Sun: 

"We  hadn't  been  to  sea  with  him  long  before  we  got  next  to  how  he 
despised  a  liar.  One  of  the  petty  officers  went  ashore  at  Gibraltar,  got 
mixed  up  with  the  soldiers  in  the  canteens  on  the  hill,  and  came  off  to  the 
ship  paralyzed.  He  went  before  the  captain  at  the  mast  the  next  morn 
ing.  He  gave  Dewey  the  'two-beers  and  sun-struck'  yarn. 

Dewey  Has  No  Patience  With  Lying. 

"  'You're  lying,  my  man/  said  Dewey.  'You  were  very  drunk.  I  my 
self  heard  you  aft  in  my  cabin.  I  will  not  have  my  men  lie  to  me.  I 
don't  expect  to  find  total  abstinence  in  a  man-o'-wTar  crew.  But  I  do 
expect  them  to  tell  me  the  truth  and  I  am  going  to  have  them  tell  me 
the  truth.  Had  you  told  me  candidly  that  you  took  a  drop  too  much  on 
your  liberty,  you'd  have  been  forward  by  this  time,  for  you,  at  least,  re 
turned  to  the  ship.  For  lying  you  get  ten  days  in  irons.  Let  me  have  the 
truth  hereafter.  I  am  told  you  are  a  good  seaman.  A  good  seaman  has 
no  business  lying/ 

"After  that  there  were  few  men  aboard  who  didn't  throw  themselves 
on  the  mercy  of  the  court  when  they  waltzed  up  to  the  stick  before 
Dewey,  and  none  of  us  ever  lost  anything  by  it.  He  had  to  punish 
us  in  accordance  with  the  regulations,  but  he  had  a  great  way  of  order 
ing  the  release  of  men  he  had  to  sentence  to  the  brig  before  their  time 

o 

was  half  worked  out." 

In  1889,  Captain  Dewey  wras  made  chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Equip 
ment  and  Recruiting,  with  rank  of  commodore.  Four  years  later  he 
was  made  a  member  of  the  Lighthouse  Board,  of  which  he  had  been 
secretary  in  1877.  In  1896  he  got  his  commission  as  commodore  and  was 
made  president  of  the  Board  of  Inspection  and  Survey.  This  is  the  place 
that  he  held  when  ordered  to  sea  duty  in  the  late  fall  of  1897,  with  in 
structions  to  assume  command  of  the  Asiatic  station,  where  he  hoisted 
his  flag  on  the  Olympia  on  January  3, 1898. 

Sent  to  Command  the  Asiatic  Squadron. 

It  is  said  that  Admiral  Dewey  was  reluctant  to  go  to  the  station 
chosen  for  him.  If  it  was  to  be  peace,  shore  duty  in  Washington  was 


158  DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR. 

quite  as  tempting  as  dull  service  in  the  Orient.  If  it  was  to  be  war 
with  Spain,  he  regretted  being  sent  so  far  from  the  probable  field  of 
action  in  the  Atlantic.  However,  he  made  no  protest.  His  friends  felt, 
as  he  did,  that  his  health  would  be  improved  by  a  return  to  sea  duty. 
He  noted  the  fact  in  conversation  with  friends  when  leaving  New  York 
that  he  was  to  be  the  first  commodore  in  Asiatic  waters  since  Perry,  who 
opened  Japan  to  the  world.  The  remark  was  significant.  He  proved  to 
be  the  right  man  for  the  place. 

Farewell  Banquet  to  the  Commodore. 

Commodore  Dewey's  long  residence  in  Washington  made  him  a 
prominent  figure  in  official  and  social  circles  there,  and  no  officer  in  the 
navy  is  perhaps  more  widely  or  agreeably  known  than  he.  On  his  de 
parture  for  Yokohama  last  November,  a  dinner  wTas  given  for  him  at 
the  Metropolitan  club,  at  which  the  following  verses — then  scarcely  ap 
preciated  at,  perhaps,  their  true  prophetic  worth — were  read  by  Colonel 
Archibald  Hopkins: 

Fill  all  your  glasses  full  to-night; 

The  wind  is  off  the  shore, 
And,  be  it  feast  or  be  it  fight, 

We  pledge  the  commodore. 

Through  days  of  storm,  through  days  of  calm, 

On  board  Pacific  seas, 
At  anchor  off  the  Isles  of  Palm, 

Or  with  the  Japanese, 

• 
Ashore,  afloat,  on  deck,  below, 

Or  where  our  bulldogs  roar, 
To  back  a  friend  or  beat  a  foe, 

We  pledge  the  commodore. 

We  know  our  honor'll  be  unstained, 

Where'er  his  pennant  flies; 
Our  right  respected  and  maintained, 

Whatever  power  defies. 


GEORGE    DEWEY    WAS    THE    LAST    MAN    TO    LEAVE    THE 


BURNING  MISSISSIPPI' 


AN  INTERESTING  MONUMENT 

This  monument  is  standing  in  the  old  cemetery  at  Westfield,  Mass.,  and 
was  erected  in  1690  to  the  memory  of  the  first  Dewey  born  on  American  soil. 


DEWEY  F&OM  WAK  TO  WAIt,  16i 

And  when  he  takes  the  homeward  tack 

Beneath  an  admiral's  flag, 
We'll  hail  the  day  and  bring  him  back, 

And  have  another  jag. 

Colonel  Hopkins  afterwards  added  this  postscript  to  his  toast: 

Along  the  far  Philippine  coast, 

Where  flew  the  flag  of  Spain, 
Our  commodore  to-day  can  boast 

'Twill  never  fly  again. 

And  up  from  all  our  hills  and  vales, 

From  city,  town  and  shore, 
A  mighty  shout  the  welkin  hails: 

"Well  done,  brave  commodore! 

"Now,  let  your  admiral's  pennant  fly; 

You've  won  it  like  a  man 
Where  heroes  love  to  fight  and  die — • 

Right  in  the  battle's  van." 

What  McKinley  Said  About  Dewey. 

When  the  victory  of  Manila  bay  fully  dawned  upon  the  minds  of 
the  American  people,  there  was  a  unanimous  call  from  press  and  pulpit 
for  some  prompt  and  official  recognition  for  George  Dewey  and  his  gal 
lant  associates.  President  McKinley  responded  to  this  popular  feeling 
with  the  following  message  to  Congress: 

To  the  Congress  of  the  United  States: 

On  the  24th  of  April  I  directed  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  tele 
graph  orders  to  Commodore  George  Dewey,  of  the  United  States  Navy, 
commanding  the  Asiatic  squadron,  then  lying  in  the  port  of  Hong  Kong, 
to  proceed  forthwith  to  the  Philippine  Islands,  there  to  begin  operations 
and  engage  the  assembled  Spanish  fleet. 

Promptly  obeying  that  order,  the  United  States  squadron,  consist 
ing  of  the  flagship  Olympia,  the  Baltimore,  the  Raleigh,  the  Boston, 


IG2  DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR. 

the  Concord  and  the  Petrel,  with  the  revenue  cutter  McCulloch  as  an 
auxiliary  dispatch  boat,  entered  the  harbor  of  Manila  at  daybreak  on 
the  1st  of  May  and  immediately  engaged  the  entire  Spanish  fleet  of 
eleven  ships,  which  were  under  the  protection  of  the  fire  of  the  land 
forts.  After  a  stubborn  fight,  in  which  the  enemy  suffered  great  loss, 
these  vessels  wrere  destroyed  or  completely  disabled,  and  the  water  bat 
tery  of  Cavite  silenced.  Of  our  brave  officers  and  men  not  one  was  lost, 
and  only  eight  injured,  and  those  slightly.  All  of  our  ships  escaped  any 
serious  damage. 

By  the  4th  of  May  Commodore  Dewey  had  taken  possession  of  the 
naval  station  at  Cavite,  destroying  the  fortifications  there  and  at  the 
entrance  of  the  bay  and  parolling  their  garrisons.  The  waters  of  the 
bay  are  under  his  complete  control.  He  has  established  hospitals  within 
the  American  lines,  where  250  of  the  Spanish  sick  and  wounded  are 
assisted  and  protected. 

The  magnitude  of  this  victory  can  hardly  be  measured  by  the  or 
dinary  standards  of  naval  warfare.  Outweighing  any  material  advan 
tage  is  the  moral  effect  of  this  initial  success.  At  this  unsurpassed 
achievement  the  great  heart  of  our  Nation  throbs,  not  with  boasting 
nor  writh  greed  of  conquest,  but  with  deep  gratitude  that  this  triumph 
has  come  in  a  just  cause,  and  that  by  the  grace  of  God  an  effective  step 
has  thus  been  taken  toward  the  attainment  of  the  wished-for  peace.  To 
those  whose  skill,  courage  and  devotion  have  won  the  fight,  to  the  gal 
lant  commander  and  the  brave  officers  and  men  who  aided  him,  our 
country  owes  an  incalculable  debt. 

Feeling  as  our  people  feel  and  speaking  in  their  name,  I  at  once 
sent  a  message  to  Commodore  Dewey,  thanking  him  and  his  officers  and 
men  for  their  splendid  achievement  and  overwhelming  victory,  and 
informing  him  that  I  had  appointed  him  an  acting  rear-admiral. 

I  now  recommend  that,  following  our  National  precedents  and  ex 
pressing  the  fervent  gratitude  of  every  patriotic  heart,  the  thanks  of 
Congress  be  given  Acting  Rear- Admiral  George  Dewey,  of  the  United 
States  Navy,  for  highly  distinguished  conduct  in  conflict  with  the  enemy, 
and  to  the  officers  and  men  under  his  command  for  their  gallantry  in  the 
destruction  of  the  enemy's  fleet  and  the  capture  of  the  enemy's  fortifica 
tions  in  the  bay  of  Manila. 

WILLIAM  M'KINLEY. 

Executive  Mansion,  May  9,  1898. 


DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR.  168 


Congress  Thanks  Dewey. 

The  message  was  received  by  both  Senate  and  House  with  marked 
enthusiasm,  and,  acting  on  the  suggestion  of  the  President,  the  follow 
ing  joint  resolution  was  introduced  and  unanimously  passed  by  a  rising 
rote,  every  member  standing: 

"Joint  resolution  tendering  the  thanks  of  Congress  to  Commodore 
George  Dewey,  U.  S.  N.,  and  to  the  officers  and  men  of  the  squadron 
under  his  command. 

"Resolved,  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  that  in  pursuance  of  the 
recommendation  of  the  President,  made  in  accordance  with  the  provis 
ions  of  section  110  of  the  Revised  Statutes,  the  thanks  of  Congress  and  of 
the  American  people  are  hereby  tendered  to  Commodore  George  Dewrey, 
U.  S.  N.,  commander-in-chief  of  the  Asiatic  station,  for  highly  distin 
guished  conduct  in  conflict  with  the  enemy  as  displayed  by  him  in  the 
destruction  of  the  Spanish  fleet  and  batteries  in  the  harbor  of  Manila, 
Philippine  Islands,  May  1,  1898. 

"Section  2.  That  the  thanks  of  Congress  and  the  American  people 
are  hereby  extended  through  Commodore  Dewey  to  the  officers  and 
men  under  his  command  for  the  gallantry  and  skill  exhibited  by  them 
on  that  occasion. 

"Section  3.  Be  it  further  resolved  that  the  President  of  the  United 
States  be  requested  to  cause  this  resolution  to  be  communicated  to 
Commodore  Dewey  and  through  him  to  the  officers  and  men  under  his 
command." 

Dewey's  Honors  Multiply. 

But  the  official  recognition  of  George  Dewey  did  not  stop  with  the 
adoption  of  these  resolutions.  Senator  Hale  of  Maine  at  once  intro 
duced,  and  the  Senate  unanimously  passed,  a  bill  increasing  the  number 
of  rear-admirals  in  the  navy  from  six  to  seven,  and  the  President  im 
mediately  promoted  Acting  Rear-Admiral  Dewey  to  the  rank  of  rear- 
admiral. 

Senator  Quay  of  Pennsylvania  proposed  that  a  jeweled  sword  be  pre 
sented  by  the  government  to  Commodore  Dewey,  and  Senator  Lodge  of 
Massachusetts  responded  by  offering  for  adoption  the  following  reso 
lution: 


164  DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR. 

"That  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  be  and  he  is  hereby  authorized 
to  present  a  sword  of  honor  to  Commodore  George  Dewey,  and  to  cause 
to  be  struck  bronze  medals  commemorating  the  battle  of  Manila  bay, 
and  to  distribute  such  medals  to  the  officers  and  men  of  the  ships  of  the 
Asiatic  squadron  of  the  United  States,  under  command  of  Commodore 
George  Dewey  on  May  1,  1898,  and  that  to  enable  the  Secretary  to 
carry  out  this  resolution  the  sum  of  f  10,000  is  hereby  appropriated." 

This  resolution  was  also  agreed  to  without  debate. 

Choice  of  a  Sword  for  Dewey. 

In  response  to  the  publication  of  the  resolution  a  great  many  de 
signs  were  submitted.  The  committee  consisted  of  Assistant  Secretary 
of  the  Navy  Charles  IT.  Allen,  United  States  Senator  Henry  Cabot 
Lodge,  of  Massachusetts,  wrho  introduced  the  joint  resolution,  and  Pro 
fessor  Marshal  Oliver,  of  the  United  States  Naval  Academy  at  Annap 
olis.  The  design  chosen  was  that  of  Mr.  Paulding  Farnham,  of  the 
house  of  Tiffany  &  Co.,  a  member  of  the  National  Sculpture  Society. 

The  sword,  with  the  exception  of  the  steel  blade  and  the  body  metal 
of  the  scabbard,  is  made  entirely  of  pure  gold,  22-karat  fine;  the  grip  is 
covered  with  fine  shark-skin,  bound  with  gold  wire  and  inlaid  with  gold 
stars.  Above  the  shark-skin  the  handle  terminates  in  a  richly  carved 
and  enamelled  gold  collar  and  pommel;  a  narrow  band  of  oak  leaves 
unites  the  shark-skin  to  the  collar;  then  come  the  arms  of  the  Admiral's 
native  state,  Vermont,  with  the  motto,  "Freedom  and  unity;"  and  above 
this,  and  spreading  toward  the  top,  is  the  Great  Seal  of  the  United 
States,  with  the  blue  field  of  the  shield  in  enamel.  The  shield  in  the 
arms  of  Vermont  is  also  enamelled.  The  collar  is  surmounted  with  a 
closely  woven  wreath  of  oak  leaves,  the  standard  decoration  for  rank, 
and  the  intervening  spaces  between  the  decorations  are  studded  with 
stars.  On  the  pommel  is  carved  the  name  of  the  battle-ship  Olympia  and 
the  zodiacal  sign  for  the  month  of  December,  when  Dewey  was  born. 

Elaborate  Decorations. 

The  guard  is  composed  of  a  conventional  eagle,  terminating  in  a 
claw  clasping  the  top,  the  outspread  wings  forming  the  guard  proper. 
The  eagle  bears  a  laurel  wreath  in  its  beak. 

The  scabbard  is  of  thin  stee-1,  damaskeened  in  gold  with  sprays  of  Ros 


DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR.  165 

Marinus,  signifying  fidelity,  constancy,  and  remembrance.  The  sprays 
are  interlaced  in  the  form  of  a  series  of  cartouches,  with  a  star  in  the 
center  of  each,  while  dolphins  fill  the  outer  spaces.  Sprays  of  oak  leaves 
and  acorns  secure  the  rings  and  trappings  of  the  scabbard;  above  these, 
on  the  front  of  the  scabbard,  is  a  raised  monogram  in  brilliants  (dia 
monds)  entwining  the  letters  "G.  D.,"  and  immediately  under  them  are 
the  letters  "U.  S.  N.,"  surrounded  by  sprays  of  Ros  Marinus.  The  ferrule, 
or  lower  end  of  the  scabbard,  terminates  in  entwined  gold  dolphins. 

An  Inscription  of  Honor. 

The  sword  blade  is  damaskeened  with  the  inscription: 

"The  Gift  of  the  Nation  to  Rear- Admiral  George  Dewey,  U.  S.  K,  in 
,/aem.ory  of  the  victory  at  Manila  bay,  May  1st,  1898." 

A  Phoenician  gallery,  representing  the  first  craft  of  the  world's 
navies,  supplies  the  rest  of  the  ornament  on  this  side  of  the  blade.  On 
the  other  side  of  the  blade  is  shown  a  flight  of  the  eagles  of  victory, 
bearing  festoons  of  laurel. 

The  mountings  of  the  belt  and  trappings  are  the  regulation  buckles, 
pierced  slide-rings  and  swivels — all  of  22-karat  gold  ornamented  with 
cflk  leaves  and  acorns.  The  bullion  tassel  and  embroidered  belting  were 

o 

especially  made,  and  are  much  superior  to  those  usually  employed. 

The  Congressional  resolution  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  one  of  the 
most  expert  of  the  many  engrossing  clerks  employed  by  the  Department 
of  State,  and,  after  several  weeks  of  painstaking  labor,  wras  finally  for 
warded  to  Rear- Admiral  Dewey  on  July  24,  1898. 

Acknowledgments  from  the  Departments. 

The  resolution  was  beautifully  embossed  and  prefaced  by  a  formal 
attestation  of  its  authenticity  by  Secretary  of  State  Day,  the  whole 
being  enclosed  in  richly  gilt  and  ornamented  Russia  covers.  It  is  to 
be  remarked  that  Secretary  Long,  in  his  letter  of  transmission,  makes 
reference  to  a  letter  from  the  Secretary  of  State  complimenting  Admiral 
Dewey  upon  his  direction  of  affairs,  since  the  great  naval  victory,  a  for 
mal  evidence  that  the  State  Department  is  thoroughly  well  satisfied  with 
the  diplomatic  qualities  he  has  exhibited. 

The  letter  of  Secretary  Long  is  as  follows: 


166  DEWEY  FROM  WAR  TO  WAR. 

"The  Navy  Department,  Washington,  July  24,  1898. — The  depart 
ment  has  received  from  the  Secretary  of  State  an  engrossed  and  certified 
copy  of  a  joint  resolution  of  Congress,  tendering  the  thanks  of  Congress 
to  you  and  the  officers  and  men  of  the  squadron  under  your  command, 
for  transmission  to  you,  and  herewith  encloses  the  same. 

"Accompanying  the  copy  of  the  joint  resolution  the  department 
received  a  letter  from  the  Secretary  of  State  requesting  there  be  con 
veyed  to  you  his  high  appreciation  of  your  character  as  a  naval  officer, 
and  of  the  good  judgment  and  prudence  you  have  shown  in  directing 
affairs  since  the  date  of  your  great  achievement  in  destroying  the  Span 
ish  fleet.  I  take  great  pleasure  in  doing  this,  and  join  most  heartily 
on  behalf  of  the  Navy  Department,  as  well  as  personally,  in  the  com 
mendation  of  the  Secretary  of  State. 

"JOHN  D.  LONG. 

"Rear-Admiral  George  Dewey,  TJ.  S.  N.,  Commander-in-Chief  United 
States  Naval  Forces,  Asiatic  Station." 

Admiral  George  Dewey. 

When  Congress  reconvened  for  the  short  session  in  December,  1898, 
Representative  Livingston  of  Georgia  introduced  the  following  bill  to 
revive  the  grade  and  rank  of  Admiral  of  the  Navy  for  George  Dewey, 
as  a  still  further  mark  of  consideration  and  reward  for  his  services 
to  Ms  country: 

"Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
United  States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  that,  to  provide 
prompt  and  adequate  reward  to  Rear- Admiral  George  Dewey,  the  grade 
and  rank  of  Admiral  in  the  United  States  Navy  be,  and  it  is  hereby  re 
vived,  writh  the  same  duties,  pay  and  privileges  appurtenant  thereto 
that  were  by  law  given  to  the  former  appointees  to  said  rank,  the  said 
grade  and  rank  to  exist  only  during  the  lifetime  of  this  officer." 

This  bill  passed  both  houses  of  Congress  without  opposition  and  was 
signed  by  the  President  with  alacrity.  Pursuant  to  the  desire  of  the 
Nation,  thus  expressed,  President  McKinley  commissioned  Rear-Ad 
miral  Dewey  as  Admiral,  and  that  rank  is  again  held  in  the  United 
States  navy  for  the  first  time  since  it  was  vacated  by  the  death  of  Ad 
miral  Porter,  who  succeeded  Admiral  Farragut  in  this  rank  when  Far- 
ragut  died. 


•    CHAPTER  IX. 
THE    PHILIPPINE    ISLANDS   IN    HISTORY. 

The  Orient  Always  an  Object  of  Interest  and  Desire — Writers  of  Authority 
on  the  Philippines — Magellan's  Famous  Voyage  under  the  Flag  of 
Spain — The  Ladrones  Discovered — Arrival  at  Mindanao — Relations 
with  the  Natives — Legaspi  Sails  from  Mexico  for  the  Philippines — 
The  Subjugation  of  the  Islands — Revolt  and  Insurrection — The  British 
Invasion. 

Far  in  that  eastern  ocean  which  was  the  object  of  so  much  daring 
venture  for  the  navigators  of  the  fifteenth,  sixteenth  and  seventeenth 
centuries,  lie  those  islands  in  which  we  are  beginning  to  discover  an 
interest — the  Philippine  archipelago.  Then  the  Orient  was  a  mysterious 
region,  marked  on  the  map  by  fabulous  monsters,  tempting  men's  cu 
pidity  by  tales  of  fabulous  wealth.  Japan,  China,  the  East  Indies  and 
the  Indian  and  Burnian  peninsulas,  with  their  coasts  and  adjacent  is 
lands,  were  considered  then  the  treasure-house  waiting  to  be  despoiled 
by  whatever  European  monarchs  could  reach  them  first,  with  adven 
turous  captains  leading  plundering  expeditions.  Cathay,  Tartary,  the 
Indies,  tlie  Spice  Islands,  were  the  names  that  appealed  to  men  then, 
but  they  meant  the  same  regions  that  are  now  the  objects  of  rivalry 
among  those  interested  in  the  "Eastern  Question." 

In  the  last  few  hundred  years,  men  have  learned  that  no  country 
offers  wealth  without  work,  but  they  are  none  the  less  anxious  for 
commercial  and  political  dominance  over  those  lands  of  the  Orient  that 
were  so  obscurely  known  in  the  earlier  day.  The  people  of  the  United 
States  find  themselves  thrust  into  a  position  where  every  interest  de 
mands  that  they  possess  the  fullest  information  possible  concerning  the 
conditions  they  will  have  to  meet  in  dealing  with  the  strange  races  with 
which  they  will  come  in  contact.  This  is  equally  true  whatever  solution 
of  the  involved  problems  is  to  be  finally  accepted  as  correct. 

Thus  justified  by  the  evident  needs,  I  have  not  hesitated  to  draw 

167 


168  THE   PHILIPPINE   ISLANDS  IN   HISTORY. 

upon  the  information  gathered  by  other  writers  than  myself  concerning 
the  Philippine  islands,  and  for  this  service  I  desire  to  offer  full  acknowl 
edgment.  It  is  not  possible  now  to  write  concerning  the  history,  the 
resources,  the  races  and  the  conditions  of  the  Philippines  without  mak 
ing  use  of  the  labor  of  John  Foreman  and  Dean  C.  Worcester.  For 
many  years  the  work  of  the  former  was  the  only  one  of  consequence 
concerning  the  Philippines.  Historically  it  still  remains  an  essential 
contribution  to  the  literature  of  the  islands.  Prof.  Worcester  made 
studies  throughout  the  archipelago  which  will  be  of  immense  value 
in  aiding  to  a  solution  of  problems  that  may  arise.  His  writings  are 
those  of  the  student  and  they  form  the  most  acceptable  and  recent 
authority  on  details  of  the  characteristics  and  conditions  of  the  people 
and  the  islands.  From  a  recent  work  by  Trumbull  White,  too,  many 
of  the  descriptive  and  historical  facts  have  been  drawn.  The  acknowl 
edgment  is  made  thus  definite  here,  because  this  book  wrill  be  more 
indebted  to  these  works  than  can  possibly  be  indicated  by  quotation 
marks. 

Notable  Era  of  Exploration. 

It  was  only  twenty-seven  years  after  the  first  voyage  of  Columbus 
that  another  voyage  under  Spanish  auspices  began,  the  results  of 
which  are  now  intertwined  with  our  own  history.  The  period  of  ex 
ploration  which  made  the  fifteenth  century  notable  and  which  was 
crowned  by  the  voyages  of  Columbus,  stimulated  the  navigators  of 
Spain,  Portugal,  Holland,  England  and  France  to  the  utmost  rivalry 
in  their  search  for  new  lands  and  new  seas.  Balboa's  discovery  of  the 
Pacific  ocean  induced  many  efforts  to  find  the  passage  which  pre 
sumably  would  give  access  to  it  from  the  Atlantic,  but  venture  after 
venture  ended  in  failure.  Spain  was  to  profit  once  more  by  the  work 
of  an  alien,  who,  like  Columbus,  had  turned  from  his  own  country  to 
a  strange  monarch  for  encouragement  and  means.  Ferdinand  Magel 
lan  or  Hernando  Maghellanes,  as  the  name  stands  in  its  original  form, 
was  a  nobleman  of  Portugal,  who  had  campaigned  for  his  king  in  wars 
at  home,  fighting  bravely  and  winning  fame.  Jealous  companions 
attacked  him,  discrediting  his  service  and  the  wounds  that  rendered  him 
a  cripple.  Kesenting  his  sovereign's  ingratitude,  Magellan  left  Portugal, 
became  a  citizen  of  Spain  and  finally  won  the  favor  of  King  Charles  I. 

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THE   PHILIPPINE   ISLANDS  IN   HISTORY.  173 

spirit,  and  an  agreement  was  made  by  which  Magellan  undertook  the 
discovery  of  new  spice  islands.  The  king  provided  five  vessels  fully 
equipped  and  was  a  partner  in  the  venture  to  the  extent  of  sharing 
the  larger  part  of  the  prospective  profits.  It  was  on.  the  tenth  day 
of  August,  1519,  that  the  explorer  set  sail  with  his  modest  fleet,  and 
four  months  later  the  first  stage  of  the  voyage  terminated  with  safe 
arrival  at  Rio  de  Janeiro. 

Hardships  of  Magellan's  Voyage. 

Magellan  had  to  undergo  an  experience  like  that  of  his  illustrious 
predecessor  and  face  a  mutiny.  Sailing  from  the  Brazilian  capital 
southward,  in  the  endeavor  to  find  a  passage  to  the  Pacific,  he  encoun 
tered  severe  cold  weather  and  resultant  restlessness.  The  commander 
planned  to  enter  one  of  the  rivers  which  came  down  to  the  ocean  from 
the  interior  of  South  America  and  there  pass  the  winter,  but  his  officers 
and  crews  disagreed  on  this  proposition,  some  wishing  to  sail  for  home, 
some  willing  to  follow  their  leader's  plan,  and  others  anxious  to  form 
plans  of  their  own.  It  was  the  captains  themselves  who  were  most 
difficult  to  discipline.  One  of  them  was  executed,  in  punishment  for 
an  attack  made  upon  the  commander,  and  another  was  set  ashore  in 
irons.  Then  the  fleet  entered  the  river  as  Magellan  willed  and  passed 
the  winter  there  in  safety  and  comfort.  The  expedition  moved  slowly 
southward  after  spring  opened,  losing  one  ship  by  desertion  and  an 
other  by  wreck,  but  on  the  28th  of  October,  1520,  the  remaining  three 
reached  the  straits  separating  Patagonia  from  Tierra  del  Fuego,  which 
ever  since  has  been  known  by  the  name  of  this  first  European  com 
mander  who  passed  through  them. 

Sailing  westward  and  northward  for  many  weeks,  on  the  16th  of 
March,  1521,  Magellan  discovered  what  we  now  know  as  the  Ladrone 
or  Marianne  islands.  Magellan  gave  them  a  more  musical  name,  call 
ing  them  the  Islas  de  las  Velas  or  islands  of  the  sails,  because  of  the 
resemblance  of  some  of  the  sharper  hills,  from  a  distance,  to  the  sails 
of  his  vessels.  After  a  short  stay  on  these  islands  Magellan  sailed 
southwestward,  reaching  for  his  next  landfall  the  north  coast  of  Min 
danao,  the  largest  island  of  the  southern  Philippines. 


174  THE   PHILIPPINE   ISLANDS  IN   HISTORY. 


Natives  Welcome  the  Strangers. 

Like  Columbus  in  the  West  Indies,  the  explorer  found  the  natives 
friendly  and  glad  to  furnish  the  Spaniards  with  plentiful  provisions. 
The  local  chief,  who  was,  perhaps,  the  king  of  the  island,  related 
enticing  tales  of  the  riches  of  the  other  islands  in  the  archipelago,  par 
ticularly  of  Cebu,  and  offered  to  pilot  the  expedition  there  because  the 
king  was  a  relative  of  his.  Naturally  this  generous  proposition  was  ac 
cepted  with  alacrity,  and  Magellan,  after  taking  formal  possession  of 
Mindanao  in  the  name  of  his  Spanish  patron,  sailed  away  for  the 
neighboring  islands. 

lie  reached  Cebu  on  the  7th  of  August,  his  arrival  spreading  alarm 
among  the  natives  who  saw  from  the  beach  the  strange  craft.  The 
chieftain  from  Mindanao,  however,  gave  them  assurance  that  the 
strangers  were  but  seeking  food  and  were  without  any  hostile  design. 
The  king  of  Cebu  thereupon  proposed  to  make  a  treaty  with  Magellan 
with  both  Spanish  and  native  ceremony.  This  proposition  was  wel 
comed  by  the  Spanish  commander,  who  brought  his  men  on  shore, 
where  impressive  ceremonies  were  performed.  The  Spaniards  erected 
a  hut  and  celebrated  mass  in  it,  much  to  the  interest  of  the  impres 
sionable  natives.  The  members  of  the  royal  family  and  their  retainers 
and  other  influential  men  were  baptized  and  swore  allegiance  to  their 
new  master,  the  King  of  Spain.  Then  the  native  custom  followed  and 
the  ceremony  of  exchange  of  blood  in  token  of  brotherhood  was  cele 
brated.  No  time  was  lost  in  beginning  the  activities  which  were  to 
follow  this  offensive  and  defensive  alliance.  The  king  was  in  the  midst 
of  war  with  some  of  his  neighbors  and  Magellan  entered  into  the  con 
flict  with  his  own  men  and  arms  with  apparent  pleasure.  The  result 
was  fateful  to  him.  Within  a  few  months  he  was  wounded  during 
an  unimportant  skirmish  on  the  little  island  of  Mactan,  and  died  there 
in  a  short  time. 

First  Circumnavigation  of  the  Globe. 

When  the  dominant  force  of  Magellan's  personality  was  lost,  the 
expedition's  difficulties  began  to  multiply.  Trouble  rose  between 
Spanish  and  natives  and  twenty-seven  of  the  former  were  slain  jy 


THE   PHILIPPINE   ISLANDS  IN   HISTORY.  175 

treachery  at  a  banquet  where  they  had  been  guests  of  honor.  The 
total  number  of  men  for  the  three  ships  was  now  reduced  to  one  hun 
dred,  an  altogether  insufficient  number  for  the  long  homeward  voyage. 
As  a  measure  of  prudence,  one  of  the  vessels  was  burned  and  the  other 
two  sailed  westward  again,  this  time  discovering  the  large  island  of 
Palawan  and  touching  a  part  of  north  Borneo.  At  Tidor  a  cargo  of 
spices  was  taken  aboard,  but  one  of  the  vessels  sprang  a  leak  and  had 
to  be  abandoned.  The  other  continued  the  voyage  and  finally  reached 
Spain  again,  after  undergoing  many  more  hardships  and  adventures 
for  her  crew,  thus  completing  the  first  circumnavigation  of  the  globe. 
Although  the  results  of  this  notable  voyage  were  sufficient  to  stim 
ulate  King  Charles  to  the  organization  of  two  more  expeditions, 
neither  of  them  accomplished  anything  commensurate  with  the  expense, 
labor  and  time  involved.  It  was  more  than  forty  years  later  before 
any  serious  attempt  was  made  to  reduce  the  lands  to  possession. 
Although  the  Philippines  were  nominally  a  part  of  the  Spanish 
realm,  their  value  was  a  matter  of  doubt,  no  commerce  with  them 
was  organized,  they  produced  no  revenue,  and  there  was  not  even  a 
Spanish  officeholder  in  the  whole  of  the  archipelago.  It  was  Philip 
II.,  in  whose  honor  the  islands  were  to  be  named,  inspired  by  religious 
zeal,  who  set  out  to  conquer  and  convert  to  Catholicism  the  millions 
of  islanders. 

From  Mexico  to  the  Philippines. 

The  expedition  was  equipped  in  the  American  colonies  of  Spain, 
four  ships  and  a  frigate  being  made  ready  on  the  west  coast  of  Mexico. 
Four  hundred  soldiers  and  sailors  were  gathered  as  an  army  of  inva 
sion  under  the  famous  leader,  Miguel  Lopez  de  Legaspi,  with  six  Augus 
tine  monks  to  introduce  Christianity  and  look  after  the  spiritual  wel 
fare  of  the  native  races  who  were  to  be  conquered.  The  date  of  this 
expedition  was  1563,  but  its  progress  was  slow  and  some  years  inter 
vened  before  the  islands  came  under  extended  influence  of  the  Span 
iards.  Legaspi  took  possession  of  Magellan's  Islas  de  las  Velas  on 
the  way,  changing  the  name  to  the  Ladrone  or  "robber"  islands,  as  a 
tribute  to  the  expert  thievery  of  the  natives,  who  adroitly  stole  a  boat 
from  one  of  his  ships. 

Legaspi   reached   the    Philippines    first    at    Camaguin,    and    after 


176  THE   PHILIPPINE   ISLANDS  IN   HISTORY. 

touching  at  Bohol  and  sending  one  of  his  boats  to  Mindanao,  decided  to 
begin  his  invasion  of  Cebu.  The  ruling  monarch,  who  had  succeeded 
the  king  of  Magellan's  time,  was  much  exercised  upon  the  arrival  of 
the  squadron,  and,  selecting  one  of  his  bravest  subjects,  sent  him  as 
a  spy  to  report  on  the  Spaniards.  The  man  came  back  deeply  im 
pressed  by  what  he  had  seen,  to  assure  his  sovereign  that  the  ships 
were  manned  by  giants  with  long  pointed  noses,  who  were  dressed 
in  magnificent  robes,  ate  stones,  drank  fire  and  blew  smoke  out  of  their 
mouths.  With  such  a  report  as  that  filed  for  his  official  consideration, 
the  king  could  do  little  but  make  peace  with  the  powerful  strangers. 
When  Legaspi  landed  on  the  27th  of  April,  1565,  to  take  possession 
of  the  town,  he  met  a  welcome,  but  the  natives  soon  became  suspicious 
of  his  motives  and  made  energetic  attacks  upon  him.  At  one  time  his 
force  was  in  great  danger  of  extermination,  but  he  held  on  bravely 
while  the  people  grew  accustomed  to  the  new  conditions.  Then  the 
Portuguese  appeared  on  the  scene  and  set  up  a  claim  for  the  islands, 
but  they  were  soon  driven  off  and  the  pacification  of  Cebu  and  the 
neighboring  islands  proceeded  steadily. 

In  15C9  Panay  was  invaded  and  the  next  year  Legaspfs  grand 
son,  Salcedo,  was  sent  with  an  expedition  to  subdue  Luzon.  June  24, 
1571,  the  first  city  council  of  Manila  was  established  and  forms  of 
government  were  enacted.  One  year  later  Legaspi  died. 

The  remarkable  energies  and  abilities  of  this  first  conqueror  of 
the  Philippines  cannot  be  ignored.  His  achievements  were  almost 
incredible.  In  Spain  to-day  he  is  still  named  as  one  of  their  notable 
heroes  of  conquest. 

Spanish  and  Chinese  at  War. 

The  Spaniards  were  hardly  more  than  comfortably  settled  in  pos 
session  of  their  easily  acquired  new  domain,  when  troubles  began  to 
brew.  The  rulers  of  China  and  Japan  both  claimed  rights  in  the 
archipelago,  and  the  former  made  a  strenuous  effort  to  enforce  his  rights 
and  expel  the  rival  conquerors. 

The  most  desperate  of  these  attacks  was  that  under  the  Chinese 
general  and  pirate,  Li  Mah  Ong.  The  records  are  somewhat  confusing 
as  to  his  identity  and  status.  At  any  rate  he  chanced  to  fall  in  with  a 
Chinese  trading  junk  which  was  returning  from  a  trip  to  Luzon.  This 


THE  PHILIPPINE  ISLANDS  fif  HISTORY.  HI 

he  captured  and  forced  her  crew  to  pilot  him  to  Manila.  He  brought 
•with  him  a  formidable  fleet  of  sixty-tAvo  armed  junks.  Hurried  prepa 
rations  were  made  for  the  defense  of  Manila  against  the  threatened 
raid.  The  Chinese  attacked  the  city  immediately  upon  their  arrival, 
forcing  their  way  within  the  walls  of  the  citadel  itself.  Hand  to  hand 
combats  lasted  for  several  days.  The  Spaniards  fought  with  bravery, 
finally  repelling  the  Mongolian  invaders.  Many  vessels  of  the  Chinese 
fleet  were  destroyed  and  large  numbers  of  the  soldiers  and  sailors 
killed. 

Li  Mah  Ong  next  landed  on  the  west  coast  of  Luzon,  establishing 
a  settlement  at  the  mouth  of  the  Agno  river,  where  he  remained  un 
disturbed  for  several  mouths.  Then  a  strong  force  was  sent  against 
him  and  again  he  was  driven  out.  With  the  larger  part  of  his  force 
he  left  the  archipelago  for  good.  Many  of  the  soldiers,  however,  were 
driven  into  the  mountains  as  fugitives.  With  characteristic  Chinese 
philosophy  they  settled  in  the  fertile  valleys  of  the  interior  and  started 
communities  which  are  still  flourishing  at  the  present  time.  They 
took  wives  from  among  the  savages  and  to-day  their  descendants  are 
hardly  distinguishable  from  other  Malays,  although  they  take  deep 
pride  in  their  descent  and  look  down  upon  their  neighbors  as  being  of 
an  inferior  race. 

Mongolians  Massacred  in  the  Philippines. 

The  Spanish  conquerors  did  not  forget  their  antagonism  to  the 
Chinese,  and  at  various  times  there  were  general  massacres  of  the 
Mongolians  which  cost  them  thousands  of  lives.  One  of  the  more  nota 
ble  massacres  of  the  Chinese  took  place  in  1662.  There  was  a  Mongol 
chief  in  China  who  refused  to  yield  at  the  time  of  the  Tartar  invasion 
in  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Instead  he  sailed  to  Formosa 
with  his  troops.  At  that  time  Dutch  settlements  had  been  founded  in 
the  island  and  2,800  of  the  Europeans  were  attacked  by  about  100,000 
Chinese  and  were  forced  to  surrender.  Word  reached  Manila  that  the 
Chinese  were  contemplating  a  descent  upon  the  Spanish  colony  and  the 
governor  of  the  Philippines  accused  the  Chinese  among  his  own  sub 
jects  of  conspiracy  in  the  contemplated  attack.  All  the  available  forces 
were  concentrated  and  when  everything  was  ready  the  Chinese  were 
incited  to  rebel  and  a  general  massacre  followed.  Men,  women  and 


178  THE   PHILIPPINE   ISLANDS  IN  HISTORY. 

children  were  killed  indiscriminately,  the  Spaniards  at  first  intending 
to  kill  every  one  of  the  Chinamen.  Before  they  had  carried  out  this 
intention  it  fortunately  occurred  to  them  that  the  resulting  lack  of 
tradesmen  and  mechanics  would  cause  inconvenience,  so  those  who  re 
mained  alive  were  graciously  pardoned  on  condition  of  laying  down 
their  arms.  Some  of  the  Chinese  escaped  to  Formosa. 

In  1709  another  massacre  of  Chinese  occurred,  this  time  only  a  few 
hundreds  of  the  luckless  Mongolians  being  killed.  The  rest  of  them, 
however,  were  deported,  and  after  the  fashion  that  had  been  estab 
lished,  all  their  property  was  confiscated  and  divided  between  the 
church  and  the  state. 

Between  1628  and  the  middle  of  the  next  century  nine  attempts  were 
made  by  the  Spaniards  to  conquer  the  Sulu  islands,  but  in  every  in 
stance  they  were  repulsed  with  heavy  losses. 

Three  Centuries  of  Insurrection. 

The  history  of  insurrection  and  revolt  in  the  Philippines  does  not 
begin  with  1896.  Although  our  interest  has  not  been  sufficient  to  be 
directed  to  the  Philippines  until  recently,  the  population  of  those  islands 
have  had  to  contend  with  oppression  which  they  have  resented  by  up 
risings  frequently  and  energetically.  The  first  noteworthy  uprising 
was  made  by  the  natives  of  Bohol  in  1622.  The  causes  which  led 
to  it  were  the  same  that  have  provoked  many  of  the  more  recent 
revolts — namely,  the  tyranny  of  the  church  and  the  burdensome  taxes 
levied  by  church  and  state  alike.  The  rebels  were  dispersed  by  troops 
under  the  governor  of  Cebu.  So  far  as  the  causes  of  the  outbreak 
of  insurrections  are  concerned,  they  do  not  need  to  be  reiterated  in  the 
successive  revolts.  Sometimes  some  special  feature  of  oppression  stim 
ulated  the  outbreak,  but  the  seeds  of  discontent  always  lay  dormant 
under  Spanish  dominion  ready  to  germinate  at  the  slightest  signal. 

The  people  of  northeast  Mindanao  broke  out  with  another  revolt 
in  1629  and  were  promptly  suppressed.  Twenty  years  later,  the  people 
of  Samar  rebelled  on  account  of  an  attempt  to  force  them  into  mili 
tary  service.  Under  the  leadership  of  a  chief  named  Sumoroy  they  killed 
a  priest  and  sacked  the  churches  along  the  coast.  The  governor  of 
the  island  dispatched  native  emissaries  to  bring  in  Sumoroy's  head, 
but  they  sent  him  instead  the  head  of  a  pig.  The  revolt  spread  and 


THE   PHILIPPINE   ISLANDS  IN   HISTORY.  179 

troops  were  dispatched  into  the  interior  to  quell  it.  They  failed  to  take 
Sumoroy,  but  found  his  mother  in  a  hut,  and,  true  to  Spanish  traditions, 
literally  tore  the  defenseless  old  woman  to  pieces.  Sumoroy  was 
at  length  betrayed  by  his  own  people.  This  uprising  spread  to  other 
provinces  and  trouble  arose  in  Masbate,  Cebu  and  Mindanao.  In  the 
latter  island  things  assumed  so  threatening  an  aspect  that  a  large  force 
of  infantry  was  sent  against  the  rebels.  The  officer  in  command,  being 
a  diplomatist,  first  published  a  general  pardon  in  the  name  of  the 
king.  He  then  made  prisoners  of  the  crowds  of  insurgents  who  flocked 
to  his  camp  and  sent  them  to  Manila,  where  a  few  of  them  were  par 
doned  and  others  executed,  the  majority,  however,  being  made  galley 
slaves. 

Revolt  at  the  Cavite  Arsenal. 

The  natives  of  Pampanga  province  grew  weary  of  being  obliged  to 
cut  timber  for  the  Cavite  arsenal  without  pay,  and  in  1660  they  revolted. 
Neighboring  provinces  joined  in  the  rebellion  and  a  native  named 
Malong  was  declared  king.  He  organized  an  army  which  was  re 
cruited  to  the  number  of  nearly  40,000.  Many  Spaniards  were  killed, 
but  the  natives  were  finally  defeated  and  scattered. 

The  Jesuit  priesthood  in  the  Philippines  wasjthe  stimulus  for  one 
of  the  more  successful  insurrections.  In  1744  the  despotism  of  a  Jesuit 
priest  caused  an  uprising  in  Bohol.  The  priest  had  not  only  ordered  his 
parishioners  arrested  when  they  failed  to  attend  mass,  but  had  directed 
that  the  body  of  one  of  them  should  be  left  unburied  to  decay  in  the 
sun.  The  brother  of  this  man  organized  a  force,  captured  the  priest 
and  paid  him  in  his  own  coin,  killing  and  exposing  his  body  for  four 
days.  The  rebel  forces  were  rapidly  augmented  by  men  who  complained 
that  while  they  were  risking  their  lives  in  military  service  for  the 
government,  their  homes  were  wrecked  and  their  wives  and  families 
maltreated  to  secure  the  payment  of  tribute.  The  insurgents  main 
tained  their  independence  for  thirty-five  years,  at  the  end  of  which 
time  the  Jesuits  were  expelled  from  the  colony. 

Insurrections  of  the  Present  Century. 

The  famous  revolt  led  by  Novales  and  Ruiz  occurred  in  1823.  Under 
these  officers  a  body  of  native  troops  tried  to  seize  Manila  and  place 


180  THfi  PHILIPPIC  1SLAKD8  V$ 

their  leaders  at  the  head  of  the  government.  It  is  needless  to  say  that 
the  attempt  was  an  utter  failure,  but  it  was  very  fierce  and  blood 
thirsty,  although  short,  and  is  said  to  have  cost  the  lives  of  5,000  people 
within  a  week.  Among  the  other  uprisings  which  may  be  mentioned 
are  one  in  Cebu  in  1827  and  one  in  Negros  in  1844.  The  latter  is  said 
to  have  resulted  from  the  governor's  compelling  state  prisoners  to  work 
for  his  private  advantage. 

Until  the  rebellion  of  1896  broke  out,  the  most  formidable  insur 
rection  occurred  at  Cavite  in  1872.  There  were  conspirators  both 
at  the  arsenal  and  in  the  capital  and  it  had  been  agreed  that  when 
the  opportune  moment  arrived,  the  Manila  contingent  should  signal  the 
fact  by  discharging  a  rocket.  The  Cavite  insurgents  mistook  fireworks 
sent  up  at  a  local  celebration  for  the  expected  signal  and  began  opera 
tions  prematurely.  They  were  forced  to  retire  to  the  arsenal  and  all 
were  eventually  killed  or  captured. 

Hostility  to  the  Spanish  friars  was  at  the  bottom  of  this  uprising 
also.  A  certain  Dr.  Burgos  had  headed  a  party  which  demanded  ful 
fillment  of  the  decisions  of  the  Council  of  Trent  prohibiting  friars  from 
holding  parishes.  These  provisions  had  never  been  carried  out  in  the 
Philippines,  and  the  various  orders  were  steadily  growing  more  rich, 
powerful  and  arrogant.  It  is  commonly  believed  that  churchmen  were 
the  real  instigators  of  this  revolt,  desiring  to  involve  Burgos  and  his 
followers  in  treasonable  transactions  and  thus  bring  about  their  death. 
However  this  may  have 'been,  the  friars  insisted  that  they  should  be 
executed  and  were  able  to  enforce  their  desire. 

The  English  Capture  of  Manila. 

In  the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  all  Europe  was  at 
war,  the  Philippines  did  not  escape  the  consequences  of  those  far-away 
hostilities.  Great  Britain  declared  war  against  France  and  Spain  in 
1761.  Havana  was  captured  by  the  British,  and  a  fleet  was  dispatched 
under  Admiral  Cornish  with  orders  to  take  Manila.  On  the  22d  of 
September,  1762,  this  fleet  arrived  before  the  doomed  city,  and  land 
forces  were  disembarked  under  command  of  General  Draper.  After  a 
stout  resistance  upon  the  part  of  the  Spanish  garrison,  which  was 
brave  but  far  inferior  to  the  English  force  in  numbers,  the  city  finally 
fell. 


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THE   PHILIPPINE   ISLANDS  IN   HISTORY.  183 

The  terms  of  capitulation  were  drawn  up  by  Draper  and  the  arch 
bishop  of  Manila,  who  in  the  absence  of  a  governor-general  was  serving 
in  a  double  capacity.  The  agreement  call'ed  for  freedom  in  the  exercise 
of  religion;  security  of  private  property;  free  trade  for  all  the  inhabi 
tants  of  the  islands,  and  the  continuance  of  the  courts  for  the  main 
tenance  of  order.  The  Spanish  were  to  pay  an  indemnity  of  $4,000,000. 
In  harmony  with  a  custom  then  sadly  common  among  victorious  armies, 
the  city  was  given  over  for  pillage.  The  English  troopers  are  said  to 
have  shown  moderation,  but  the  Sepoys,  of  whom  Draper  had  brought 
2,200  from  India,  outraged,  robbed  and  murdered  the  inhabitants  in 
the  very  streets.  On  the  following  day  there  was  a  similar  scene,  where 
upon  the  archbishop  protested  and  Draper  restored  order. 

British  Occupation  Incomplete. 

The  surrendered  territory  included  the  whole  archipelago,  but  the 
English  never  occupied  more  than  that  part  of  it  which  lay  immediately 
around  Manila.  Even  there  they  were  not  left  undisturbed.  One  of 
the  justices  of  the  supreme  court  named  Simon  de  Anda  escaped  in  a 
native  boat  to  the  province  of  Bulacan.  He  declared  himself  governor- 
general  and  raised  an  army,  but  the  desultory  fighting  which  ensued 
between  his  forces  and  the  British  had  no  decisive  results.  A  con 
spiracy  to  assassinate  Anda  and  his  Spanish  followers  was  discovered 
among  the  Chinese  in  Pampanga  province  and  a  massacre  of  the  Mon 
gols  followed.  Anda  was  so  enraged  with  them  that  he  issued  a  procla 
mation  declaring  them  all  traitors  and  ordered  them  hanged  wherever 
found.  Thousands  who  had  been  in  no  way  concerned  in  the  conspiracy 
are  said  to  have  been  executed. 

The  war  indemnity  which  had  been  agreed  upon  was  not  forth 
coming.  The  British  forces  were  harassed  by  attacks  from  without  the 
city  and  by  fear  of  treachery  within,  and  at  last  the  officers  fell  to 
quarreling  among  themselves.  Meanwhile  the  war  had  come  to  an  end 
in  Europe,  and  the  evacuation  of  Manila  had  been  provided  for  by  the 
terms  of  the  treaty  of  Paris  concluded  on  the  10th  day  of  February, 
1763.  Anda,  however,  refused  to  consider  the  war  ended  until  his 
authority  was  recognized,  and  hostilities  in  the  Philippines  continued 
for  some  months.  Finally  a  new  governor-general  came  from  Spain. 
The  British  commanders  were  quite  ready  to  turn  the  difficult  problem 


184  THE   PHILIPPINE   ISLANDS  IN   HISTORY. 

over  to  him,  and  they  promptly  evacuated  the  city  and  sailed  away, 
although  a  considerable  portion  of  the  indemnity  still  remained  unpaid. 
It  is  more  than  likely  that  England  would  have  kept  the  Philippines 
at  that  time  if  the  European  war  had  continued  much  longer,  but  Spain 
and  France  both  sued  for  peace  and  the  same  treaty  which  ended  the 
French  and  Indian  wrar,  as  it  was  known  in  the  American  colonies  of 
Great  Britain  and  of  France,  provided  for  the  restitution  of  Manila  to 
the  government  at  Madrid. 

The   Cholera  Panic  in  the  Philippines. 

A  crisis  of  another  form  came  to  the  Philippine  islands  in  1820, 
which  almost  destroyed  civilization  in  the  colony.  For  the  first  time 
in  its  modern  history  the  archipelago  was  invaded  by  Asiatic  cholera. 
It  began  at  Sampaloc,  near  Manila,  spread  to  the  capital  city  and 
thence  went  into  every  part  of  Luzon.  The  mortality  was  frightful, 
some  records  declaring  that  over  one-half  of  the  population  died  from 
the  disease.  In  the  height  of  the  epidemic  the  ignorant  Spaniards  and 
natives  were  seized  writh  the  idea  that  the  disease  was  the  result  of  a 
wholesale  plot  to  poison  them  in  the  interests  of  the  foreigners  of  the 
community.  Mobs  rose  all  over  the  island  and  massacred  Chinese, 
French,  English,  Americans,  and  finally  the  Spaniards  themselves. 
Houses  were  burned,  citizens  robbed  and  buildings  looted.  Ultimately 
the  disorders  were  quelled. 

Since  the  revolt  of  Novales  and  Ruiz  in  1823,  the  career  of  the 
Philippines  has  been  comparatively  calm  and  quiet  except  the  Burgos 
rebellion  at  Cavite  in  1872.  There  have  been  many  minor  uprisings, 
riots  and  revolts,  but  the  policy  of  the  government  has  grown  sterner 
with  the  years  and  merciless  measures  have  been  put  in  effect.  The 
smallest  riot  has  been  the  signal  for  martial  law.  Small  gunboats  have 
made  it  possible  to  rush  troops  to  the  scene  of  every  insurrection  and 
not  too  much  care  has  been  taken  to  be  sure  of  the  guilt  of  those  ar 
rested.  Every  one  involved  or  suspected  usually  has  been  tried  by  court 
martial  and  shot  without  delay.  It  was  this  condition  that  led  up  to 
the  revolt  of  1896.  Beginning  with  that  revolution  the  history  of  the 
Philippines  has  an  American  point  of  view  to  be  considered. 


CHAPTER  X. 
ISLAND  GEOGRAPHY,   CONDITIONS  AND  RESOURCES. 

The  Native  Tribes  of  the  Philippines — Islands  Comprising  the  Group — Cli 
matic  Conditions — Safeguards  Against  Disease — Earthquakes  and 
Volcanoes — Animal  and  Vegetable  Life — Land  and  Water  Reptiles — 
Beasts  and  Birds  in  Countless  Numbers — Extensive  Pearl  Fisheries — 
Mineral  Wealth  of  the  Islands — Chinese  Interests  in  the  Mines- 
Valuable  Discoveries  and  Future  Development. 

It  has  been  the  general  impression  among  travelers  in  the  Orient 
that  the;  Philippines  contained  little  of  interest  to  them  outside  of  the 
island  of  Luzon,  and  to  many  of  them  the  city  of  Manila  has  been  the 
only  objective  point.  Possibly  the  tourist  would  make  a  few  trips  into 
the  interior  of  Luzon,  and  on  rare  occasions  a  hurried  visit  to  one  or 
two  of  the  adjacent  islands  might  be  included  in  the  itinerary.  The 
traveler  who  has  made  these  excursions  is  usually  of  the  opinion  that 
he  has  seen  all  of  importance  that  is  to  be  seen.  This  popular  con 
ception  of  the  islands  is  greatly  at  variance  with  the  facts  in  the  case. 

There  are  more  than  eighty  distinct  tribes  of  the  natives  who  form 
the  bulk  of  the  eight  million  inhabitants  of  the  island. 

These  tribes  are  scattered  throughout  the  valleys,  the  hillsides  and 
the  mountain  forests  of  a  thousand  islands  widely  separated  from  one 
another.  The  Philippines,  beginning  at  the  south,  are  within  five  de 
grees  of  the  equator  and  extend  northerly  nearly  thirteen  hundred  miles, 
equal  almost  to  the  distance  from  New  York  to  Omaha.  From  the  ex 
tremes  of  the  east  and  west  they  cover  an  expanse  of  water  nearly  six 
hundred  miles  across.  The  limits  of  longitude  is  from  117  to  127  east 
of  Greenwich.  The  principal  towns  and  cities  are  comparatively  easy  of 
access,  but  the  traveler  or  explorer  who  seeks  to  be  well  informed  on  this 
far  Eastern  country  and  its  people  by  visiting  only  these  places  in  beaten 
paths, is  only  deluding  himself.  It  is  only  by  extended  visits  to  the  remote 
localities  that  an  adequate  idea  can  be  had  of  the  mysterious  processes  of 

185 


186       ISLAND  GEOGRAPHY,  CONDITIONS  AND  RESOURCES. 

the  works  of  nature  in  her  prodigality  of  gifts  to  this  garden-land  of 
the  tropics. 

It  can  be  seen  that  the  tourist  in  the  interior  of  the  Philippines  must 
get  over  the  ground  very  slowly.  The  number  of  islands  and  the  area 
of  the  Philippine  Archipelago  is  not  accurately  known.  More  than  a 
thousand  miles  of  water  separate  the  Caroline  and  the  Ladrone  islands 
from  the  Philippines,  and  they  cannot  any  more  be  considered  as  of  the 
Philippine  group  than  New  Guinea  or  the  Solomon  islands.  The  prin 
cipal 

Islands  Composing  the  Group 
are  as  follows,  compared  in  area  wTith  our  own  states: 

Luzon,  41,000  square  miles Ohio,  41,000 

Mindanao,  37,500  square  miles Indiana,  36,350 

Samar,      5,300  square  miles 

Panay,      4,600  square  miles 

'Kn  .,         Connecticut,  4,990 

Palawan,  4,150  square  miles 

Mindoro,  4,050  square  miles 

Leyte,  3,090  square  miles {  ^aware,      .   2,050 

(  Rhode  Island,  1,250 —  3,300 

Negros,  2,300  square  miles Delaware,  2,050 

Cebu,        1,650  square  miles  )  T>,     -,    T  ,„-,   -,  0~n 

T»r     v         1  OIK  t Khode  Island,  1.250 

Masbate,  1,315  square  miles  ) 

Bohol,        925  square  miles.    Catanduanes,  450  square  miles. 
Total  area  of  the  above  12  islands,  106,330. 

The  following  twenty  islands  have  an  area  averaging  about  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  square  miles  each:  Sulu,  Basilan,  Culion, 
Busnanga,  Tablas,  Marinduque,  Guimaras,  Dinagot,  Tawi  Tawi,  Bal- 
abac,  Siquijor,  Libuyan,  Panaon,  Cansiguin,  Romblon,  Polillo,  Siargao, 
Ticao,  Biliran  and  Burias. 

It  wrill  be  seen  from  the  above  figures  that  the  northernmost  and  the 
largest  in  size,  Luzon,  and  the  southernmost  and  the  second  in  size, 
Mindanao,  contain  the  bulk  of  the  total  area.  These  two  large  islands, 
separated  by  an  expanse  of  the  water  hundreds  of  miles  across,  stand  off 
from  each  other  with  all  of  the  hundreds  of  smaller  islands  between, 
as  if  to  protect  them. 


ISLAND  GEOGKAPHY    CONDITIONS  AND  RESOURCES.       187 

But  the  majestic  volcanic  piles,  the  high  altitudes  and  diversity  of 
climate,  for  a  tropical  one,  the  minerals,  the  luxuriant  tropical  plants, 
the  forests,  the  harmless  mammals,  the  variegated  birds,  the  prodi 
gious  productions  of  the  primitively  cultivated  soil  by  its  queer  and 
strangely  confused  people  will  abundantly  repay  the  student  bent  on 
a  general  line  of  research  or  the  one  on  a  special  or  technical  line,  for  the 
task  involved  and  hardships  encountered.  The  trip  from  Manila  to  Iloilo, 
Panay  and  Cebu  or  even  to  Zauiboango,  by  steamship,  is  comparatively 
easy,  although  passenger  and  mail  communication  between  the  princi 
pal  points  has  been  infrequent.  The  accommodations  are  far  from  first- 
class  and  long  waits  for  steamers  are  apt  to  be  one  of  the  disagreeable 
incidents  of  inter-island  travel.  The  poor  accommodations  are  offset  to 
a  considerable  extent,  however,  by  the  unrivalled  placid  wraters,  at  all 
times,  that  are  found  some  distance  south  of  Manila.  For  fascinating 
beauty  and  eternal  calmness  the  Sulu  Sea  and  the  Celebes  Sea  fully 
rival  the  famous  inland  sea  of  Japan.  They  are  beyond  the  region  of  the 
dreaded  typhoons  so  common  at  certain  seasons  on  all  sides  of  Luzon. 

Storms  of  Wind  and  Rain. 

The  seasons  of  wind  and  rain  vary  in  the  different  islands  and  often 
in  different  localities  on  the  same  island.  Mindanao  and  some  of  the 
other  southern  islands  are  not  affected  by  the  trade  winds,  and  destruc 
tive  typhoons  are  unknown  in  them.  The  typhoons  in  Luzon  and  other 
islands  to  the  north  have  destroyed  whole  villages,  uprooted  trees  and 
destroyed  everything  in  their  paths.  Nothing  is  dreaded  more  by  the 
navigators  of  these  waters  than  the  typhoon. 

The  southern  monsoon  generally  begins  in  May,  accompanied  by 
deluges  of  rain,  and  lasts  until  October.  Following  this  is  a  season  of 
variable  winds  and  calms,  followed  by  the  northeast  monsoon  for  four 
or  five  months. 

These  mountain  islands  are  seamed  with  flat  valleys,  having  rapid 
rivers  coursing  through  them.  During  the  rainy  season  freshets  are 
the  order  of  the  day  along  these  rivers,  and  they  overflow  their  banks, 
spreading  over  the  valleys  in  great  seas.  There  is  scarcely  a  city  in  the 
United  States  where  there  may  be  a  few  days  in  July  and  August  when 
the  thermometer  does  not  register  more  heat  than  the  records  show  in 
the  Philippines.  This,  how  ever,  is  apt  to  be  verv  misleading.  There  is  hot 


188       ISLAND   GEOGRAPHY,  CONDITIONS  AND  RESOURCES. 

weather  in  the  Philippines  every  month  of  the  year.  Every  month  may 
see  the  thermometer  fall  as  low  as  60°  (Fahrenheit)  and  rise  to  90°  in 
the  shade.  Occasionally  it  may  rise  to  100°  in  the  shade  in  some  places. 
It  is  the  great  humidity  of  the  atmosphere  that  makes  the  heat  of 
the  Philippines  so  unendurable  to  Americans  and  Europeans.  Light 
bed  coverings  are  comfortable  occasionally  during  the  nights  of  the 
winter  months,  but  usually  no  bed  clothing  at  all  can  be  endured.  Of 
course,  I  am  not  now  considering  the  mountain  provinces  in  high  alti 
tudes.  The  nights  in  those  regions  are  quite  cool,  and  the  atmosphere 
has  much  less  humidity  than  at  the  sea  level,  and  is  much  more  en 
durable  to  white  people. 


Physical  Effects  of  the  Climate. 

Malaria  and  dysentery  are  trying  to  Americans  in  the  low  districts 
of  many  of  the  islands.  With  proper  sanitary  conditions,  however, 
the  coast  towns  and  cities  should  be  much  more  healthy  than  they  are. 
The  wrater  supply  from  mountain  streams  is  usually  pure  and  sparkling. 

Americans  in  going  to  the  Philippines  must  live  in  a  way  best  suited 
to  the  climate.  If  they  have  "habits,"  they  must  control  them,  if  they 
wish  to  keep  in  good  health.  It  would  be  as  well  to  leave  American 
strong  drinks  at  home,  and  if  anything  beside  water  is  drunk,  light  wines 
should  be  used.  Excessive  drinking  of  the  liquors  used  in  our  own  coun 
try  is  certain  to  undermine  the  health  of  the  strongest  man  in  the  Phil 
ippines  in  a  very  few  months.  The  man  who  will  refrain  from  all  the 
excesses,  avoids  violent  physical  exertion,  does  not  expose  himself  to 
the  hot  sun  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  and  exercises  proper  care  as  to 
his  diet,  should  enjoy  good  health  in  the  Philippines. 

The  explorer,  the  engineer  and  those  who  comprise  the  advance 
guard,  looking  to  the  development  of  the  untouched  resources  of  the 
country,  cannot  trifle  with  their  digestive  organs,  and  caution  must  be 
their  watchword  if  they  desire  to  complete  their  labors  with  impunity. 

The  traveler  is  fortunate,  indeed,  if  he  escapes  the  serious  bowel 
troubles  that  have  played  such  havoc  among  the  troops  in  the  United 
States  Army. 

Malaria,  which  is  usually  accompanied  by  fever,  takes  all  the  energy 
from  the  strongest  man,  and  few  escape  it  who  travel  over  the  islands 


ISLAND  GEOGRAPHY,  CONDITIONS  AND  RESOURCES.       189 

to  any  extent.  Those  who  are  not  careful  about  sleeping  on  the  ground, 
as  well  as  to  their  diet,  are  inviting  it  very  soon.  There  is  great  dan 
ger  of  rheumatism  in  the  islands  also.  When  sleeping  in  the  house  or 
hotels  the  traveler  should  always  insist  upon  having  an  upper-story 
room,  if  possible,  and  keep  away  from  the  floor  next  to  the  ground;  espe 
cially  is  this  advisable  in  the  country  towns,  where  the  sanitary  condi 
tions  are  always  wretched.  The  old-fashioned  ague  of  the  swamps  in 
the  "Egypt"  of  Illinois  is  preferable  to  the  daily,  every  other  day  and 
every  third  day  fevers  so  liable  to  attack  our  race  in  the  Philippines. 

Fevers  of  Common  Occurrence. 

If  not  immediately  and  rigorously  treated,  these  fevers  become  very 
stubborn  and  difficult  to  cure.  In  certain  districts  the  awful  calentura 
perniciosa  is  a  malignant  disease  of  the  worst  type.  It  is  often  accom 
panied  with  black  vomit.  This  means  certain  death  to  the  victim  in  a 
few  hours.  It  is  a  disease  peculiar  to  certain  localities,  however,  which 
are  left  out  of  the  itinerary  by  native  and  white  travelers  alike.  The 
Philippines  have  never  been  troubled  with  the  bubonic  or  black  plague 
like  parts  of  China..  This  is  remarkable,  too,  since  the  germs  of  that  terri 
ble  disease  may  be  carried  by  the  rats  that  infest  ships,  or  even  by  fleas. 

Native  Superstitions  Regarding  Disease. 

Small-pox  is  as  common  almost  as  colds  are  in  our  country,  and 
every  native,  as  a  rule,  has  had  the  disease  when  young,  the  same  as 
our  children  have  had  the  measles.  It  is  no  uncommon  sight  to  see  a 
child  on  the  street  all  broken  out  with  the  disease  that  we  dread  more, 
probably,  than  any  other.  Since  our  army  has  been  in  the  Philippines 
the  pest  house  has  had  from  thirty  to  fifty  small-pox  patients  from 
among  the  soldiers  constantly.  The  army  physicians  tell  me  that  fifty 
per  cent  of  the  whites  who  contract  the  disease  die. 

The  leper  hospital  in  Tondo,  an  immediate  suburb  of  Manila,  has 
about  one  hundred  patients  afflicted  with  that  awful  disease,  and  no 
doubt  there  is  considerable  that  the  Spanish  were  never  able  to  control 
or  isolate.  The  cholera  is  very  difficult  to  control  wThen  it  breaks  out, 
but  its  visitations  are  not  frequent. 

When  the  natives  see  a  black  dog  run  down  the  streets  they  declare 
that  the  disease  breaks  out  behind  him,  and  that  it  is  the  will  of  God 
and  refuse  to  take  the  simplest  precaution. 


190      ISLAND  GEOGRAPHY,  CONDITIONS  AND  RESOURCES. 

The  climate  of  the  Philippines  is  a  very  trying  one  for  white  women 
and  children,  and  the  chances  are  that  those  going  from  America  will 
regret  the  change.  It  would  be  folly  for  the  white  mechanic  or  laborer 
or  farmer  to  emigrate  to  these  islands  with  the  expectation  of  laboring 
at  his  occupation.  Even  if  he  were  offered  the  most  tempting  wages,  he 
could  not  perform  the  work  in  that  climate.  It  is  a  safe  prediction  to 
say  that  Asiatics  and  natives  will  do  all  the  manual  labor  of  the  Philip 
pines  in  all  the  years  to  come.  Labor  is  the  cheapest  thing  there.  It 
is  at  the  same  time  as  little  respected  as  in  any  country.  Whatever  else 
attractive  there  may  be  to  our  country  in  the  Philippines,  there  is  abso 
lutely  nothing  there  for  the  American  wage-worker  to  hope  for. 


Earthquakes  and  Volcanoes. 

In  the  formation  of  the  Philippine  Islands,  it  is  puzzling  to  geolo 
gists  to  decide  which  one  the  forces  of  nature  created  first  Is  Luzon 
at  the  north,  Mindanao  at  the  south,  or  some  of  those  between,  the  old 
est?  There  are  active  volcanoes  in  Luzon,  Mindanao  and  Camiguin. 
It  was  only  during  the  present  year  that  a  sea  captain  reported  that  a 
small  island  appeared  above  the  surface  of  the  water  just  southwest 
of  the  Philippines  where  one  had  never  existed  before.  Evidences  in 
abundance  are  not  lacking  in  the  Philippines  of  the  changes  wrought 
by  the  action  of  volcanoes  and  earthquakes. 

The  volcanic  cone,  Mayon,  at  almost  the  extreme  southern  end  of 
Luzon,  is  the  most  famous  in  the  Philippines.  It  is  8,925  feet  high,  and 
constantly  in  action.  The  country  at  the  foot  of  Mayon  is  very  fertile 
and  thickly  populated,  and  the  people  live  in  dread  of  the  periodical 
eruptions  of  destructive  activity.  The  last  one  was  on  June  25,  1897, 
and  the  zone  of  destruction  covered  more  than  one  hundred  miles  in 
extent,  with  great  loss  of  life  and  property. 

Taal,  with  an  elevation  of  only  900  feet,  is  also  on  Luzon.  It  is  the 
lowest  active  volcano  in  the  world,  and  is  considered  more  destructive 
than  Mayon.  Taal  is  surrounded  entirely  by  fresh  water,  for  it  forms 
an  island  in  a  lake.  It  has  the  appearance  of  a  badly  maimed  cone,  for 
its  top  was  cut  off  short  by  a  terrific  upheaval. 

Apo,  on  the  Island  of  Mindanao,  is  the  loftiest  mountain  in  the 
islands,  with  an  active  crater  at  its  summit,  10,000  feet  high.  There  are 


ISLAND  GEOGRAPHY,  CONDITIONS  AND  RESOURCES.       191 

other  active  craters  in  both  Luzon  and  Mindanao,  and  on  one  or  two 
other  islands. 

Palawan  is  the  only  island  not  visited  by  earthquakes.  Fresh-water 
rivers  and  lakes  abound  in  all  the  larger  islands,  the  more  important 
ones  being  on  Mindanao  and  Luzon.  Many  of  them  are  navigable,  but 
their  currents,  particularly  near  their  mouths,  are  more  shifting  than 
the  Missouri  river. 


Vast  Areas  of  Forests. 

The  forests  of  the  Philippines  are  practically  untouched,  although 
to  the  casual  visitor  the  clearings  of  the  natives  of  small  areas  might 
look  as  if  a  great  waste  was  going  on.  Patches  are  cleared  away  for 
cultivation.  The  timber  is  burned.  There  is  only  one  kind  of  weed 
that  seems  to  trouble  the  native  farmer,  but  that  usually  overwhelms 
him,  and  finally  he  has  to  abandon  the  field  altogether  and  clear  a 
new  one,  and  repeat  this  every  two  or  three  years.  This  growth  has 
more  the  nature  of  grass,  and  its  roots  grow  to  a  great  depth.  The 
wooden  plows  and  shiftless  management  of  the  native  planters  do  not 
make  any  inroads  on  this  rank  stuff,  called  cogon.  These  abandoned 
areas  are  called  cogonales,  and  afford  great  fires  annually.  When  it 
rains  and  the  cogon  sprouts,  stock  may  browse  a  little  on  the  tender 
green  shoots,  but  practically  it  is  of  no  value. 

The  decomposition  of  the  lava  which  washes  down  from  the  moun 
tains  makes  the  artificial  fertilization  of  the  soil  unnecessary.  It  is  un 
rivalled  in  its  fertility,  but  the  natives  are  unable  by  their  primitive 
methods  to  get  anything  like  all  its  possibilities  in  productiveness. 

Animal  and  Vegetable  Life. 

The  animal  and  vegetable  life  of  the  Philippines  offers  a  subject 
of  endless  interest  to  the  traveler 

Pilgrimages  into  the  interior  are  made  on  foot  or  on  the  back  of  a 
coolie,  or  a  water-buffalo,  also  called  Chinese  oxen  and  Caraboo.  The 
lines  of  travel  are  over  alleged  roads  that  would  not  compare  favorably 
with  the  rudest  cattle  trail  of  Texas,  in  the  early  days.  Very  few  fierce 
animals  or  reptiles  are  encountered.  Nature  takes  strange  forms  so 


192     ISLAND   GEOGRAPHY,  CONDITIONS   AND   RESOURCES. 

universally  that  one  sees  hardly  a  single  familiar  thing  in  a  Philippine 
landscape.  The  trees  are  different,  the  flowers  are  different,  the  birds 
and  animals  are  different,  while  even  the  insects  upon  the  earth  and 
the  fish  within  the  sea  are  altogether  novel.  Parties  of  American 
zoologists  who  have  traveled  there  have  found  the  islands  almost  a 
virgin  field  for  their  labors,  so  little  have  the  Spanish  done  to  investigate 
scientifically. 

Not  all  of  the  surprises  are  pleasant,  nor  does  one  have  to  be  a 
zoologist  to  come  early  into  contact  wTith  the  animal  life  of  the  Philip 
pines.  It  is  necessary  if  one  is  to  enjoy  any  comfort  during  his  resi 
dence  in  the  islands,  to  rise  superior  to  such  trivial  things  as  armies 
of  cockroaches  and  plentiful  mosquitoes  and  rats.  The  cockroaches 
grow  to  a  size  which  justifies  them  in  being  classified  as  beasts  of  prey, 
those  three  or  four  inches  in  length  being  quite  common.  They  are 
annoying  pests  for  their  destructiveness,  playing  havoc  wTith  every 
thing  of  leather  and  paper. 

Snakes  Used  as  Katcatchers. 

In  order  to  counteract  the  attacks  of  the  rats,  nearly  all  of  the 
older  houses  in  Manila  possess  what  are  called  house-snakes.  These 
are  harmless  but  huge  reptiles,  generally  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  long, 
which  permanently  reside  in  the  roof  and  live  on  the  rats.  They 
live  between  the  cloth  ceilings  and  walls  of  the  houses  and  the  rafters, 
never  leaving  their  abodes.  The  natives  carry  them  about  Manila  for 
sale,  curled  up  around  bamboo  poles,  to  which  their  heads  are  tied. 

The  Philippines  contain  several  varieties  of  buffalo  which  are  not 
found  elsewhere.  They  are  known  in  the  language  of  the  natives  as 
carabaos.  These  water  buffaloes  are  found  wild  in  most  of  the  larger 
islands.  They  are  often  caught  young  and  tamed,  after  which  they 
are  employed  for  beasts  of  burden.  They  do  most  of  the  heavy  haul 
ing  and  carting  of  the  country  and  are  very  docile  although  extrava 
gantly  slow.  They  require  a  daily  mud  bath  and  will  not  work  without 
it.  The  price  of  the  full-grown  carabao  broken  to  work  is  not  more 
than  thirty  dollars  at  the  outside  and  sometimes  as  low  as  ten  dol 
lars. 

There  is  a  smaller  buffalo,  found  only  in  the  island  of  Mindoro, 
where  it  lives  in  the  densest  jungle.  This  little  animal,  called  the 


ISLAND    GEOGRAPHY,   CONDITIONS    AND    RESOURCES.      193 

timarau,  is  a  creature  of  most  vicious  temper,  apparently  untam 
able.  It  is  graceful  in  shape  and  movement  and  runs  very  swiftly. 
Hair  and  skin  are  black  and  horns  large  and  extremely  sharp.  The 
timarau  if  trapped  will  usually  kill  itself  in  trying  to  escape,  and  in 
any  event  will  refuse  to  eat.  It  voluntarily  attacks  and  kills  the  much 
larger  carabao. 

•.•>•:;•«  l':~v  • 
Animal  Foods  in  Abundance. 

Several  species  of  deer  are  found  in  the  archipelago,  in  some 
localities  sufficiently  numerous  to  become  a  valuable  addition  to  the 
meat  supply.  One  species  is  hardly  larger  than  a  goat  and  another  is 
still  smaller.  It  is  known  as  the  chevrotain  or  mouse  deer  and  is  ex 
ceedingly  rare.  Wild  pigs  are  found  in  the  islands  in  great  abundance. 
They  live  on  food  which  produces  very  dainty  flesh  and  the  meat 
is  much  favored  in  Luzon.  There  are  no  wolves  nor  foxes  in  the  islands 
and  no  wild  dogs.  Cattle  are  extensively  raised  for  beef  on  some 
of  the  islands.  They  are  of  a  small  humped  variety,  and  in  the  Visayan. 
islands  bullocks  are  often  used  as  draft  animals.  Milk  is  always  very 
scarce,  while  fresh  butter  and  cheese  are  not  to  be  had  at  any  price. 
Goats  are  common  and  are  prized  both  for  their  milk  and  their  flesh. 

The  Philippines  are  poor  in  carnivorous  animals.  A  small  wildcat 
and  two  species  of  civet-cats  are  the  most  conspicuous  representatives 
of  the  order.  The  marsupials  which  are  so  numerous  in  the  Austral 
asian  colonies  are  not  found  here.  In  Luzon  and  some  of  the  other 
islands  are  numerous  varieties  of  bats  in  great  numbers.  At  nightfall 
in  some  places  they  are  so  numerous  as  to  resemble  a  great  flight  of 
birds.  The  little  vampire,  which  prefers  blood  for  its  diet,  is  there.  Then 
the  large  fruit-bats  occur  in  enormous  colonies.  Their  fur  has  some 
commercial  value  and  the  natives  occasionally  eat  them.  Smaller  insec 
tivorous  bats  are  numerous. 

Birds  in  Countless  Numbers. 

Nature  has  been  as  generous  to  the  Philippines  in  birds  as  she  has 
been  niggardly  in  animals.  About  590  species  have  been'  identified 
by  ornithologists.  Some  of  them  are  of  great  value  as  food  and  othera 
are  notable  for  their  beauty.  There  are  pheasants,  pigeons,  eagles,  par 
rots,  ducks  and  song  birds  of  great  variety.  Here  in  the  Philippines 


194     ISLAND   GEOGRAPHY,   CONDITIONS    AND    RESOURCES. 

is  found  that  species  of  swift,  or  sea-swallow,  which  builds  the 
nest  so  favored  by  the  Chinese  as  a  food.  These  nests  are  found  at 
the  proper  season  in  caves  or  upon  almost  inaccessible  cliffs,  and  the 
gathering  of  them  is  attended  with  considerable  risk.  They  are  made 
from  a  salivary  secretion  which  rapidly  hardens  on  exposure  to  the 
air  into  a  substance  resembling  white  glue  in  appearance.  The  best  of 
the  nests  bring  almost  their  weight  in  gold  from  the  Chinese  epicures. 

The  reptiles  of  the  Philippines  are  abundant  in  variety  and  num 
ber.  Crocodiles  are  found  in  the  fresh-water  lakes  and  streams,  where 
they  grow  to  great  size.  Every  year  they  kill  many  men,  horses,  buf 
faloes  and  smaller  animals.  Then  there  are  iguanas  or  large  land  and 
marsh  lizards,  the  largest  of  which  grow  sometimes  eight  feet  in  length. 
These,  however,  are  altogether  harmless,  and  they  are  considered  very 
good  eating  by  those  who  are  willing  to  try  them.  Iguana  eggs  are 
almost  exactly  like  turtle  eggs.  There  are  other  smaller  varieties  of 
lizards,  some  of  them  living  on  the  ground  and  others  in  trees,  while 
in  the  houses  of  Manila  the  smallest  are  very  common  and  are  not 
considered  to  be  an  annoyance. 

Some  of  the  species  of  snakes  are  very  venomous,  although  the 
loss  of  life  from  snake  bite  is  not  great.  Pythons  and  other  snakes 
of  the  constrictor  family  are  plentiful,  but  as  they  are  not  poison 
ous  they  are  in  no  way  dreaded.  The  skins  of  these  make  a  capital 
leather  and  are  used  a  great  deal  for  decorative  work  sold  in  shops. 
There  are  cobras  in  Samar,  Mindanao,  and  the  Calainianes  islands. 
Then  there  are  venomous  varieties  known  as  the  rice-leaf  snake  and 
the  alimnorani,  the  bite  of  which  is  as  fatal  as  that  of  a  rattlesnake. 
Besides  these  there  are  many  water-snakes  which  are  very  poisonous, 
some  of  them  even  in  Manila  bay. 

Extensive  Pearl  Fisheries. 

The  fish-markets  of  Manila  offer  many  varieties  of  fish  in  great 
quantity,  nearly  all  strange  to  the  American  eye.  Most  of  them,  how 
ever,  are  salt-water  fish.  They  form  the  staple  animal  food  of  the 
natives.  Fresh-water  fish  are  less  important.  Then  there  are  several 
kinds  of  shell  fish  and  crustaceans,  all  palatable  and  nutritious.  Near 
Sulu  there  are  extensive  beds  of  pearl-oysters  which  yield  beautiful 
shells  and  very  fine  pearls  as  well.  At  present  the  fisheries  are 
entirely  in  the  hands  of  Moro  divers,  and  all  pearls  above  a  certain  size 


ISLAND    GEOGRAPHY,   CONDITIONS    AND    RESOURCES.      195 

go  by  right  to  the  sultan  of  Sulu.  Chinese  buyers  purchase  the  rest 
of  the  pearls  and  the  shells.  From  another  oyster,  handsome  black 
pearls  are  obtained. 

The  fruits,  flowers  and  trees  of  the  Philippines  are  as  varied  and 
novel  as  the  birds.  There  does  not  seem  to  be  a  spot  in  the  Philip 
pines,  excepting  around  active  volcanoes,  where  there  is  not  exuberant 
vegetation.  The  climate  is  such  as  to  encourage  nature  to  do  her  best. 
Flowers  seem  to  be  more  gorgeous  than  in  any  country  within  the  tem 
perate  zone.  Not  only  are  the  flowers  indigenous  to  the  Philippines 
found  everywhere,  but  many  transplanted  to  these  islands  have  far 
outstripped  their  original  growth.  The  geranium  becomes  a  perfect 
weed  in  the  gardens  and  fields  of  Manila,  while  the  heliotrope  grows 
as  a  great  bush  six  feet  high  and  a  dozen  feet  in  diameter,  weighed 
down  wTith  a  load  of  blossoms.  Roses  and  tulips  grow  on  trees. 
Oranges  and  lemons  are  grown  here  and  produce  their  exquisite  blos 
soms  in  enormous  quantities.  Every  yard  is  a  blaze  of  blossoms,  and 
flowers  are  so  cheap  that  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  pay  for  them. 

Fruits  in  Greatest  Varieties. 

The  fruits  are  even  more  novel  than  the  flowers,  hardly  any  of 
the  northern  varieties  being  found  in  the  Philippines.  The  mango  is 
found  in  its  perfection  and  the  banana  will  win  favor  from  those  who 
have  never  cared  for  it  before.  Paw-paws,  shaddocks,  oranges,  lemons, 
limes,  citrons,  guavas,  pineapples,  cocoanuts,  figs,  grapes  and  tama 
rinds  are  names  most  of  them  familiar  to  us  at  home,  although  the 
fruit  in  the  Philippines  is  superior.  Less  familar  dainties  are  the 
durien,  the  finest  fruit  of  all,  which  has  an  exquisite  flavor,  but  an  odor 
like  that  of  limburger  cheese,  the  chica,  the  lomboy,  the  loquot,  the 
mangosteen,  the  lanzon,  custard  apples,  the  santol,  bread  fruit,  jack- 
fruit,  the  mabolo,  the  laichee,  the  macapa  and  the  avocado  or  alligator 
pear. 

The  forests  of  the  Philippines  contain  an  inexhaustible  supply  of 
woods  of  many  valuable  sorts,  which  offer  commercial  opportunities  as 
soon  as  the  islands  are  opened  for  development.  Perhaps  no  commer 
cial  opportunity  is  better  than  the  one  that  will  be  found  in  the 
forests.  The  woods  range  from  the  quick-growing  palm  to  the  hard 
woods  that  require  a  century  for  their  full  development.  Many  are 


196     ISLAND    GEOGRAPHY,   CONDITIONS    AND    RESOURCES. 

of  remarkable  beauty  in  color  and  grain,  taking  a  high  polish  and 
undergoing  the  heaviest  strains  or  severest  wear  without  susceptible 
damage.  The  narra  or  Philippine  mahogany  is  a  beautiful  wood,  which 
grows  to  very  great  size.  The  banaba  is  hard,  tough,  and  of  a  beau 
tiful  rose-pink  color.  There  are  many  ebonjr  trees  of  fine  quality.  The 
lanotan  is  often  called  ivory  wood  on  account  of  the  remarkable  resem 
blance  it  bears  to  ivory. 

A  dozen  others  might  be  named,  each  with  special  qualities  which 
give  it  great  value  and  each  found  in  quantity  sufficient  to  justify  deal 
ing  in  it  as  a  business  enterprise.  Under  the  Spanish  regime  the  im 
mense  natural  wealth'  in  timber  has  not  brought  one-tenth  of  the  in 
come  to  the  colony  that  it  would  under  better  conditions  of  trade. 
Yet,  notwithstanding  red  tape  and  costly  governmental  interference,  the 
profit  is  so  large  that  a  steady  trade  is  done  by  Manila  and  Iloilo  with 
other  parts  of  the  world. 

Mineral  Wealth  of  the  Islands. 

Three  objects  of  search  stimulated  the  energy  and  the  cupidity 
of  those  monarchs  of  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  centuries  who  fostered 
the  exploration  of  remote  lands  and  seas.  They  wished  to  discover 
new  races  which  might  be  converted  to  Christianity  for  their  own 
glory  and  the  aggrandizement  of  the  Church;  they  sought  the  islands 
that  would  produce  rich  spices  and  silks  in  order  to  pour  the  treasures 
of  the  Orient  into  their  own  coffers  and  their  own  kingdoms;  further 
more,  they  wanted  to  find  gold  and  other  precious  metals  which  tradi 
tion  always  locates  in  the  least  known  and  least  accessible  countries. 

Less  attention,  however,  has  been  given  by  Spanish  explorers  to 
the  mineral  wealth  of  the  Philippine  islands  than  to  any  other  phase 
of  their  natural  riches.  The  Spanish  government  throughout  almost 
the  entire  period  of  its  possession,  has  not  only  refused  to  examine  and 
develop  its  own  resources,  but  has  actually  discouraged  every  one  else 
who  has  attempted  to  do  what  it  declines  to  do  itself. 

Gold  has  long  been  known  to  exist  in  the  Philippines,  and  was 
mined  by  the  natives  long  before  the  Spanish  discovered  them.  They 
say  that  the  yellow  metal  has  been  extracted  from  the  rocks  and  the 
soil  from  time  immemorial,  and  they  still  continue  to  dig  it  in  a  hap 
hazard  way,  using  the  rudest  and  most  wasteful  methods.  They  know 


ISLAND   GEOGRAPHY,   CONDITIONS   AND    RESOURCES.      197 

nothing  of  amalgamation,  nor  do  they  understand  the  value  of  pyritic 
ores.  They  have  neither  powder  nor  dynamite,  and  work  only  rich 
quartz  and  alluvial  deposits.  For  the  latter  they  use  washboards  and 
flat  wooden  moulds,  losing  all  the  float-gold.  The  gold-bearing  quartz 
is  crushed  by  hand  or  ground  between  heavy  stones  turned  by  buffaloes 
and  is  then  washed.  The  shafts  are  bailed  by  lines  of  workmen  who 
pass  small  water-buckets  from  man  to  man.  Even  by  these  primitive 
methods,  they  obtain  the  precious  metal  in  considerable  quantities. 

Chinese  Interests  in  the  Mines. 

The  gold  of  the  Philippines  was  better  known  in  the  past  than  it  is 
to-day.  The  Chinese  books  refer  to  the  archipelago  as  a  land  of  gold 
and  many  precious  ores,  and  as  a  matter  of  fact  one  can  learn  more 
about  the  mineral  resources  of  the  country  in  Hong  Kong  than  in 
Manila.  As  early  as  1572  there  were  mines  in  North  Camarines,  which 
lies  to  the  southeast  of  Luzon,  and  in  the  same  century  the  natives 
practiced  quartz  mining  in  northern  Luzon.  In  1G20  an  army  officer 
found  out  that  some  half-caste  Chinese  were  extracting  large  quantities 
of  gold  from  mines  in  the  provinces  of  Ilocos  and  Pangasinan,  in  north 
ern  Luzon.  The  Chinese  were  attacked  and  killed,  but  the  victorious 
soldiers  never  found  the  mines.  Within  recent  years  gold  deposits 
were  found  on  the  east  coast  of  Mindanao,  and  the  captain  of  a  steamer 
trading  in  that  neighborhood  reported  that  the  output  of  the  washings 
was  at  least  ten  pounds  a  day  and  that  nearly  all  of  it  went  to  Chinese 
traders.  Even  in  Manila  province  the  natives  washed  the  sand  in  the 
river  near  Montalban  and  obtained  enough  gold  dust  to  pay  them  for 
their  trouble.  The  Sulu  warriors  bring  gold  dust  and  nuggets  to  Borneo 
and  claim  that  there  is  an  inexhaustible  supply  on  their  island  and 
Basilan. 

Valuable  deposits  of  gold  have  been  found  in  several  other  islands 
of  the  group.  There  are  old  alluvial  workings  in  Cebu,  and  Mindanao 
has  rich  gold-bearing  quartz  in  addition  to  its  placer  mines.  On 
Panaon  there  is  known  to  be  at  least  one  vein  of  gold-bearing  quartz. 
The  name  of  Mindoro  is  said  to  be  derived  from  mina  de  oro  (gold  mine), 
and  natives  often  offer  travelers  in  that  island  a  chance  to  see  places 
where  rich  deposits  are  found. 


198      ISLAND    GEOGRAPHY,   CONDITIONS    AND    RESOURCES. 


Foreign  Capital  Interested. 

No  serious  and  systematic  effort  ever  has  been  made  to  develop 
the  great  mineral  wealth  of  the  Philippines.  There  have  been  spas 
modic  attempts  at  different  times,  but  they  have  almost  invariably  re 
sulted  in  failure,  owing  to  insufficient  means  of  transportation,  the  dif 
ficulty  in  securing  labor,  and  especially  to  lack  of  capital.  Within  the 
last  few  years  a  British  company  called  the  Philippines  Mineral  Syndi 
cate,  Limited,  has  been  conducting  systematic  explorations,  and  it  is 
from  their  reports  that  the  accompanying  information  has  been 
taken.  The  operations  of  the  syndicate  have  proved  the  alluvial 
deposits  in  Luzon  to  be  extensive  as  well  as  rich,  while  the  auriferous 
formation  from  which  they  have  been  derived  is  believed  to  extend 
throughout  the  "backbone"  of  the  island.  The  mountain  peoples  nearly 
all  traffic  in  gold.  Many  of  the  deposits  on  the  Pacific  slopes  of  Luzon 
are  very  near  the  sea,  and  it  is  fair  to  believe  that  if  modern  ma 
chinery  were  introduced  and  transportation  lines  opened,  the  Philip 
pines  might  become  a  great  gold-producing  center. 

Silver  is  found  in  the  Philippines,  though  not  to  so  wide  an  extent 
as  gold.  There  are  very  large  deposits  of  silver  lead  at  Acsubing, 
Panoypoy,  and  Eiburan  on  the  island  of  Cebu.  There  is  galena,  bearing 
both  gold  and  silver,  in  Dapitan  and  Iligan,  in  the  island  of  Mindanao. 

Other  Minerals  Found  in  Abundance. 

True  coal  has  not  been  discovered  in  the  Philippines,  but  very  ex 
tensive  beds  of  excellent  lignite  have  been  found  in  Luzon,  Cebu,  Mas- 
bate,  Mindanao,  Negros,  and  Mindoro.  Experimental  tests  have  shown 
it  to  be  a  fairly  satisfactory  fuel  for  steamers,  and  nothing  except  the 
complete  lack  of  suitable  means  of  transportation  prevents  the  develop 
ment  of  these  deposits.  Although  a  large  supply  of  coal  has  been 
maintained  at  Manila,  which  has  been  imported  from  Great  Britain, 
Australia  and  Japan,  the  Spanish  administration  has  preferred  to  pay 
ten  or  twelve  dollars  a  ton  for  25,000  tons  every  year  rather  than  build 
a  small  railway  on  the  island  of  Cebu  from  Compostella  to  the  coast, 
which  would  deliver  the  lignite  in  unlimited  amounts  at  a  cost  of  not 


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PERFORATED  BY  SHELLS 

This  house,  which  stands  immediately  in  rear  of  American  trenches,  shows 
the  effect  of  gun  fire. 


EMILIO  AGUINALDO 

This  portrait  was  taken  at  the  outbreak  of  the  insurrection 
against  Spain,  when  Aguinaldo  was  younger  both  in  age  and 
experience  than  he  is  to-day. 


ISLAND    GEOGRAPHY,   CONDITIONS    AND    RESOURCES.      201 

more  than  f  1.50  a  ton.    It  is  hardly  to  be  doubted  that  systematic  ex 
ploration  would  lead  to  the  discovery  of  true  coal. 

Copper  ore  occurs  in  Luzon  and  Mindanao  in  large  outcrops  and  is 
utilized  by  the  natives,  but  it  has  not  been  successfully  mined  by 
Europeans.  In  Mindanao  there  are  also  quicksilver,  platinum  and  tin. 
Iron  ore  of  excellent  quality,  yielding  up  to  85  per  cent  of  pure  metal, 
exists  in  Luzon,  and  other  excellent  iron  districts  are  found  elsewhere 
in  the  island.  In  the  last  century,  iron  mines  were  worked  with  great 
success  in  Morong,  but  were  finally  closed  by  the  government  on  the 
ground  that  the  workmen,  who  were  Chinese,  were  not  Christians. 
The  luckless  owner  was  obliged  to  send  all  these  workmen  to  China  at 
his  own  expense,  and  the  government  refused  to  pay  him  for  the  ironJie 
had  already  delivered,  on  the  ground  that  he  had  insulted  the  Church 
in  employing  pagans.  The  iron  mines  of  Angap  in  Bulacan  are  richer 
and  purer  than  the  best  Spanish  ore,  which  is  so  popular  in  the  iron 
foundries  of  England. 

Valuable  Discoveries  and  Future  Development. 

In  different  parts  of  the  archipelago,  large  deposits  of  sulphur  and 
arsenic  are  found,  in  the  volcanic  regions  sometimes  of  the  utmost 
purity  and  sometimes  mixed  with  copper  and  iron.  Explorers  report 
valuable  discoveries  of  slate,  borax,  plumbago,  granite,  coral  rocks, 
sandstone  and  limestone.  There  are  deposits  of  gypsum  on  a  small 
island  opposite  the  village  of  Culasi  in  western  Panay  and  also  Min- 
doro.  Large  beds  of  good  marble  are  found  both  in  Luzon  and  Ilom- 
blon.  Mines  of  natural  paint,  probably  red  lead,  are  found  in  Mindoro. 
Petroleum  occurs  in  several  of  the  islands,  one  of  the  best  districts 
being  in  western  Cebu  near  Toledo,  where  free  flowing  wells  have  been 
opened. 

Once  American  industry  and  enterprise  obtain  a  foothold  in  the 
Philippines  and  enough  discoveries  are  made  to  stimulate  more  active 
search,  it  seems  reasonably  certain  that  valuable  mineral  wealth  will 
be  found  in  commercial  quantities.  It  has  been  the  history  of  the 
world  that  the  discovery  of  gold  was  the  most  influential  factor  possible 
in  inducing  rapid  immigration,  settlement  and  the  development  of  civili 
zation  and  all  its  kindred  industries.  California,  Australia,  South 
Africa  and  Alaska  are  the  latest  and  most  notable  examples  of  this 
historical  truth. 


CHAPTER  XL 
MANILA   AND    LUZON    UNDER   SPANISH    RULE. 

The  Walls  of  the  Ancient  City — Picturesque  Parks  and  Public  Grounds — 
The  Chinese  and  Their  Work — Tragic  Memories  of  the  Luneta — 
Beauties  of  the  Night — Amusements  of  the  Natives — Italian  Opera  and 
American  Circus — Spanish  Bull  Fights  and  English  Horse  Races — 
The  Hotels  of  the  City — Native  Shops  and  Their  Keepers — The  Town 
of  Cavite — Steamship  Service  of  the  Island. 

Like  nearly  all  Oriental  cities  the  ancient  Manila  was  enclosed  by  a 
wall  which  gave  it  protection  from  attacks  of  foes.  The  city  outgrew 
this  boundary  many  years  ago,  and  the  neglected  fortifications  have 
long  since  ceased  to  be  regarded  as  of  any  use.  However  effective  they 
may  have  been  in  centuries  gone  by  in  protecting  the  people  against 
invaders,  they  would  be  of  no  avail  against  modern  military  methods 
and  implements  of  war.  Fortunate  it  was  for  the  Spaniards  and  equally 
fortunate  for  the  tourist  who  is  to  come,  that  Admiral  Dewey  did  not 
find  it  necessary  to  bombard  the  place  on  that  August  day  when  General 
Merritt's  forces  entered  the  city. 

On  the  northern  side  of  the  walled  city  the  river  serves  as  a  moat 
and  on  the  west  the  waters  of  Manila  bay  approach  the  walls.  On 
the  other  two  sides  moats  have  been  constructed  which  can  be  filled 
with  water  in  the  event  of  an  attack.  The  last  time  they  were  em 
ployed  was  in  the  war  with  Great  Britain  in  1762,  when  General  Draper 
captured  the  city.  The  walls  altogether  encircling  the  city  measure 
more  than  two  miles  in  length  and  are  from  ten  to  twenty  feet  thick. 
Ancient  cannon  of  picturesque  pattern  are  mounted  on  top,  some  of 
them  dating  from  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  century.  There  are,  how 
ever,  a  few  modern  guns. 

The  masonry  of  these  fortifications  has  proved  its  worth.  It  has 
withstood  the  onset  of  many  an  assault  in  olden  time,  while  the  hun 
dreds  of  earthquake  shocks  that  have  shaken  it  have  done  little  damage. 
The  moats  have  been  the  receptacle  of  stagnant  water  and  refuse  for 

202 


MANILA  AND  LUZON  UNDER  SPANISH  RULE.         203 

many  a  year  and  must  have  been  a  source  of  much  of  the  fever  which 
has  oppressed  the  city.  Within  this  wall  were  the  Spanish  forces  who 
were  surrendered  by  their  commander  to  Dewey  and  Merritt  wThen  de 
fense  wras  no  longer  possible. 

The  walled  city  has  eight  gates  equipped  writh  portcullis  and  draw 
bridge  after  the  medieval  fashion,  but  for  fifty  years  they  have  not  been 
raised.  Within  the  walls  are  found  many  of  the  government  offices, 
a  post-office  and  telegraph  office,  the  old  custom  house,  convents,  col; 
leges,  a  cathedral,  eleven  churches,  an  observatory  and  an  arsenal. 
Many  shops  and  small  stores  are  situated  here. 

Picturesque  Parks  and  Public  Gardens. 

The  old  city  of  Manila  offers  picturesque  sights  for  the  tourist,  but 
is  not  the  one  where  he  would  choose  to  stay  after  he  had  exhausted 
the  sights.  In  the  "new"  city  outside  the  walls  there  are  more  cleanli 
ness,  more  fresh  air,  more  modern  buildings,  and  a  number  of  very 
pretty  parks  and  public  gardens.  This  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  Pasig 
river  from  the  walled  city  and  is  known  as  Binondo,  a  great  trading 
center,  where  all  the  foreign  merchants  have  their  places  of  business. 
Here  many  of  the  streets  are  fairly  well  paved  and  in  some  instances  as 
wide  as  those  we  are  accustomed  to  at  home.  The  retail  shops  are  nearly 
all  in  the  hands  of  Chinese  merchants,  many  of  them  of  great  wealth 
and  prominence.  Their  countrymen  of  humbler  station  are  seen  on 
every  street,  performing  much  of  the  manual  labor  of  the  city.  Chinese 
coolies  carry  burdens,  drive  carts  and  do  much  of  the  heaviest  work. 
Chinese  tradesmen  are  the  leaders  in  most  of  the  mechanical  industries 
and  trades,  this  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  Chinese  labor  is  supposed  to 
be  discountenanced  by  the  people  and  the  laws  as  they  have  existed 
under  the  Spanish  rule. 

The  great  show  places  of  Manila  are  the  Santa  Lucia  and  the 
Luneta.  These  drives  run  from  the  Pasig  river,  along  the  sea  front  of 
the  Availed  city,  and  then  out  across  the  immense  open  parade  ground 
which  separates  the  walls  of  Manila  from  the  suburbs  of  Ermita.  They 
are  practically  one  continuous  road,  but  the  mile  that  fronts  the  city 
walls  is  called  the  Lucia  and  the  broader  oval  park-like  extension  is  the 
Luneta.  Rows  of  waving,  stubby  palm  trees  mark  the  edges  of  the 
drives  and  electric-light  poles  line  the  borders  throughout  their  entire 


204  MANILA   AND   LUZON   UNDER   SPANISH   RULE. 

length.  In  the  old  days  these  avenues  were  famous  for  their  beauty 
and  display.  It  is  doubtful  whether  any  other  city  in  the  Orient  could 
rival  them  for  brilliance  and  fashionable  luxury. 

Tragic  Memories  of  the  Luneta. 

It  is  also  doubtful  whether  another  drive  exists  which  is  so  grim 
in  tragic  memories  as  the  beautiful  Luneta.  Hundreds  of  Filipinos 
have  been  executed  there.  In  the  mornings  the  crowds  would  throng 
the  drives  to  see  the  Filipinos  shot  and  in  the  evening  they  would  gather 
again  to  hear  the  music  at  the  bandstand.  But  the  war  stopped  all 
of  that.  The  Luneta  became  neglected  as  the  insurgents  kept  advanc 
ing  closer  and  closer  to  the  borders  of  the  city.  The  Spanish  officials 
who  had  robbed  and  murdered  to  their  hearts'  content  were  afraid  to 
venture  out  at  night  beyond  the  walls  of  the  city  for  fear  of  being 
assassinated  by  natives  who  hungered  for  revenge.  Strong  barricades 
were  built  at  the  corner  of  the  walled  city  just  where  the  Lucia  merges 
into  the  broader  Luneta,  and  the  Spaniards  never  ventured  beyond  that 
barricade  of  railroad  iron  and  sacks  of  earth.  When  the  Americans 
took  the  city  it  was  days  and  days  before  the  proud  Spaniards  would 
show  themselves. 

In  the  evening  when  the  sun  is  sinking  behind  the  Mariveles  moun 
tains  the  wealth  and  fashion  of  Manila  emerge  from  the  gloomy  streets 
of  the  walled  city  and  show  themselves  on  dress  parade  on  the  water 
front.  Carriages  roll  up  and  down  and  back  and  forth  through  the  short 
length  of  the  Lucia.  Rows  of  other  vehicles  are  drawn  up  along  the 
edges,  the  occupants  smoking  and  lazily  watching  the  passing  show. 
Pretty  women,  bareheaded,  and  dressed  in  cool,  refreshing  white,  look 
enchanting  to  one  who  has  seen  nothing  but  yellow  and  brown  Malay 
girls  all  summer  and  whose  experience  in  society  has  been  confined  to 
young,  barefooted  Philippine  ladies  who  smoked  cigars  and  wore  gauze 
waists  with  rags  reefed  around  them. 

Beauties  of  a  Summer  Night. 

The  surf  rolls  in  long  curling  ridges,  the  palm  trees  wave  in  the  fresh 
evening  air,  the  ships  of  the  fleet  lying  out  in  the  bay  twinkle  with  lights, 
and  the  Mariveles  mountains  and  Corregidor  away  to  the  west  fade  into 


MANILA    AND    LUZON    UNDER   SPANISH    RULE.  205 

purple  shadows.  When  the  full  moon  comes  out  it  lights  up  the  domes 
and  towers  of  the  city  and  spreads  a  radiance  of  white  across  the  bosom 
of  the  bay.  The  air  is  full  of  the  music  of  crickets  and  grasshoppers, 
and  the  fragrance  of  flowers  steals  out  of  the  verdure  along  the  drive. 

The  Americans  take  little  part  in  the  showy  display  which  comes 
each  evening  along  the  Santa  Lucia.  Occasionally  a  soldier  in 
service-worn  buff  clatters  along  on  a  little  Philippine  horse,  but  there 
has  been  no  general  inclination  to  mix  with  the  brilliant  show  on  the 
avenue.  Dr.  Farrell,  one  of  the  surgeons  of  the  1st  California,  as 
tounded  the  Spaniards  by  appearing  on  the  Lucia  driving  a  carriage 
four-in-hand.  When  it  is  considered  that  the  Spanish  laws  here  forbid 
any  one  besides  the  archbishop  and  the  governor-general  appearing 
behind  a  four-in-hand,  the  extent  of  the  sensation  that  Dr.  Farrell 
caused  may  be  imagined. 

At  8  o'clock  it  is  all  over,  for  that  is  the  dinner  hour  in  Manila. 
The  carriages  gradually  disappear  within  the  somber  sallyports  of  the 
old  moss-covered  walls.  At  8:30  hardly  one  remains,  and  then  the  Lucia 
and  Luneta  are  quiet.  Only  an  occasional  caromata  rattles  over  the 
beautiful  drive. 

Between  the  Luneta  and  the  district  of  the  city  where  the  work 
ing  classes  live,  the  contrast  is  startling.  The  filth  of  the  latter  is  ap 
palling  and  the  houses  are  hovels  crowded  with  human  beings,  animals 
and  vermin.  Here  start  the  epidemics  which  are  so  fatal  to  the  city 
population. 

Modern  Improvements  are  Found. 

The  public  improvements  of  the  city  have  not  been  as  meager  as 
might  have  been  expected.  There  is  an  excellent  system  of  waterworks 
and  a  fairly  good  fire  department.  Fortunately  the  comforts  that  are 
most  essential  are  the  least  expensive,  and  consequent!}-  in  reach  of 
many  people.  Rents  are  very  low;  sen-ant  hire  is  so  cheap  that  one  can 
have  a  retinue  at  the  cost  of  a  single  house  maid  at  home.  Carriages  and 
horses  are  likewise  inexpensive,  whether  one  keeps  his  own  vehicles  or 
hires  them  at  his  will.  The  equipages,  however,  are  very  queer  in  appear 
ance  measured  by  American  standards,  and  the  horses  by  no  means 
equal  to  those  we  drive  at  home. 

The  sports  of  Manila  are  materially  different  from  those  to  which 
we  are  accustomed,  for  their  favorites  have  been  bull-fighting  and 


206  MANILA    AND    LUZON    UNDER   SPANISH    RULE. 

cock-fighting.  The  bull  ring  of  Manila,  in  the  suburb  of  Paco,  draws 
great  crowds  when  the  entertainment  is  offered,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  the  performances  are  by  no  means  spirited.  Neither  Spanish  bull 
fighters  nor  Spanish  bulls  are  brought  to  the  island,  so  that  native  talent 
has  to  be  obtained  to  play  both  roles.  The  bulls  are  timid  and  lazy,  the 
bull-fighters  are  little  better,  so  that  the  traveler  does  not  see  bull 
fighting  of  the  same  sort  that  he  would  in  Spain,  Cuba  or  Mexico. 

The  Sports  of  the  Natives. 

Cock-fighting,  on  the  other  hand,  is  maintained  at  as  high  a  station 
as  its  rival  is  low.  The  clergy  of  the  island  have  been  among  the  best 
patrons  of  the  sport.  They  are  successful  breeders,  skillful  handlers 
and  regular  bettors.  The  galleries  are  always  well  patronized  and  on 
Sundays  and  feast  days  crowded  to  suffocation. 

Music  and  the  drama  are  popular  in  some  forms  and  in  others  are 
neglected.  The  three  theaters  of  Manila  give  rather  dull  performances 
of  comedies,  farces  and  melodramas.  When  the  city  is  visited  by  real 
dramatic  companies  from  Hong  Kong  or  by  an  Italian  opera  company, 
patronage  is  generous.  Military  music  is  specially  favored  by  the  peo 
ple  and  some  of  it  is  of  more  than  average  quality.  The  Filipinos  have 
organized  at  least  one  notably  fine  band  of  ninety  pieces. 

The  most  popular  of  all  amusements  brought  by  strangers  to  the 
city  is  the  American  circus.  As  is  well  known,  every  circus  in  the  far 
East  is  called  American  in  order  to  obtain  the  advertising  which  ac 
companies  the  name.  When  these  organizations  come  to  Manila  from 
Hong  Kong  or  Amoy,  they  are  almost  overwhelmed  by  the  warmth  of 
their  reception.  No  company  plays  a  shorter  season  than  three  weeks, 
while  some  remain  two  and  three  times  that  long. 

Race  Week  in  Manila. 

Horse-racing  in  Manila  is  directed  by  the  jockey  club,  which  holds 
a  week  of  races  every  year.  The  membership  includes  nearly  all  of  the 
European  and  American  colony,  as  it  was  constituted  before  the 
war.  The  club  has  a  fine  track  and  generous  purses  are  awarded.  The 
riding  is  done  by  gentlemen  jockeys,  there  being  no  professionals  in  the 
country.  The  animals  are  very  small,  much  after  the  fashion  of  Ameri- 


MANILA  AND   LUZON   UNDER  SPANISH   RULE.  207 

can  polo  ponies,  but  the  races  are  popular  and  afford  excellent  sport  for 
the  social  world.  The  club  entertains  liberally  during  the  race  week. 

The  water  front  of  Manila  affords  interesting  and  picturesque  sights 
for  the  stranger.  The  anchorage  is  usually  crowded  with  steamers 
and  sailing  vessels.  In  the  river,  huge  cargo  barges  or  lighters  move 
slowly  up  stream  conveying  freight  from  the  vessels  in  the  harbor 
to  the  warehouses  on  shore.  Along  the  banks  of  the  river  are  the 
smaller  steamers,  schooners,  and  other  craft  from  the  island  prov 
inces,  which  are  of  sufficiently  light  draft  to  cross  the  bar  and  reach 
the  docks.  Then  there  are  huge  canoes,  small  dug-outs,  ferry-boats 
for  Cavite  and  places  up  the  river,  so  that  the  scene  is  always  a  busy 
one. 

One  of  the  oddest  institutions  encountered  upon  landing  in  Ma 
nila  is  the  Filipino  public  cab.  There  are  three  different  styles.  These 
three  grades  are  employed  by  people  according  to  their  means,  or 
tastes. 

The  Carruage  is  a  two-horse  vehicle,  and  the  elite  people  look  upon 
it  as  the  strictly  proper  thing  to  ride  up  the  street  in.  The  quelis  has 
two  wheels,  and  has  a  body  resting  on  its  axle  shaped  like  a  dry  goods 
box.  A  door  opens  from  the  back,  and  four  passengers  may  crowd  in 
side.  The  driver  has  a  little  imitation  of  a  seat  in  front,  right  over  the 
shafts,  with  one  little  native  scrubby  pony  toiling  away  with  his  load. 

The  Hotels  of  the  City. 

There  are  various  hotels  in  Manila  with  varying  degrees  of  excel 
lence,  although  none  satisfy  an  exacting  American  traveler  who  is  un 
willing  to  put  up  with  Filipino  customs.  The  best  hotels  in  the  city 
are  the  Hotel  de  1'Orient  and  Hotel  de  FEurope,  either  of  which  will 
answer  till  something  better  is  constructed.  The  others,  however  pre 
tentious  their  names  may  be,  such  as  Hotel  de  Madrid,  Hotel  de  1'Uni- 
verse  and  La  Catalanta,  are  of  the  next  grade  lower  and  hardly  to  be 
considered  by  the  American  traveler. 

It  is  very  likely  that  even  if  the  Philippines  were  not  subject  to 
earthquakes  there  would  be  no  high  buildings.  For  the  most  part  the 
buildings  are  all  constructed  cheaply  and  of  inexpensive  materials.  Of 
course,  the  fear  of  earthquakes  has  much  to  do  with  the  kind  of  ma 
terial  used  and  the  method  of  construction.  The  heavy  tile  roofs 


208  MANILA   AND   LUZON   UNDER  SPANISH   RULE. 

formerly  much  used  are  seldom  seen  now.  Corrugated  iron  is  now  used 
extensively  for  roofing.  It  protects  the  house  from  the  great  deluges 
of  rain  that  fall,  and  the  earth's  quaking  will  not  shake  this  kind  of  a 
roof  off.  It  has  the  great  disadvantage,  however,  of  attracting  the  heat 
during  the  hot  weather.  The  Filipinos  usually  have  a  side  hut  or  two 
with  thatched  roofs  and  can  move  out  from  under  the  nietal  roof  when 
necessary. 

Most  of  the  streets  of  Manila  are  wretchedly  paved  or  not  paved  at 
all.  They  are  inadequately  lighted,  some  by  kerosene  lamps  and  others 
even  by  wicks  suspended  in  dishes  of  cocoanut  oil.  There  is,  however, 
an  electric  light  system,  which  will  be  extended  rapidly.  Diminutive 
street  cars,  each  drawn  by  a  single  pony,  run  on  two  different  lines 
into  the  suburbs. 

The  native  houses  are  lighted  by  shaping  into  little  squares  the 
beautiful  and  lustrous  shells  that  abound  in  the  Philippines.  These  are 
fastened  into  long  narrow  frames  that  extend  all  the  way  around  the 
sides  of  the  upper  stories  and  often  comprise  nearly  all  the  wall.  They 
are  not  fastened  to  the  framework,  however,  but  are  arranged  to  slide 
back  so  that  the  entire  room  can  be  thrown  open.  The  making  of  this 
substitute  for  window  glass  is  an  extensive  industry  in  the  Philippines. 


The  Natives  Inveterate  Gamblers. 

The  Manila  lottery  was  one  of  the  notable  institutions  of  the  islands, 
the  Spanish  government  formerly  deriving  from  it  an  annual  profit  of 
half  a  million  dollars,  the  tickets  being  distributed  not  only  through 
out  the  archipelago,  but  in  Hong  Kong  and  along  the  China  coast.  The 
inborn  gambling  instinct  of  the  Filipino  is  thus  fostered  and  many  a 
poor  fellow  spends  his  last  cent  for  lottery  tickets  and  then  goes  to 
jail  for  not  paying  his  taxes. 

Estimates  of  the  population  of  Manila  have  been  varied  and  doubtful. 
The  most  authentic  information,  however,  places  the  total  population 
at  about  300,000,  of  which  natives  number  200,000.  The  Chinese  are 
credited  with  40,000  of  the  remainder,  the  Chinese  half-breeds  45,000, 
the  Spanish  and  Spanish  Creoles  5,000,  the  Spanish  half-castes  about  as 
many,  and  the  Europeans  and  Americans  other  than  Spanish  about  400. 

Nearly  all  Europeans  wear  white  duck  suits  over  verv  thin  under- 


MANILA  AND   LUZON   UNDER  SPANISH   RULE.  209 

wear.  The  Chinaman  sticks  to  his  national  costume,  while  the  people 
of  mixed  blood  almost  invariably  adopt  the  native  dress,  which  for 
men  consists  of  hat,  shirt,  pantaloons  and  slippers. 

Civilians  (Europeans  and  Americans)  usually  wear  white  duck  suits, 
white  duck  shoes  and  very  light  underwear  every  month  of  the  year. 

Like  the  native  women  themselves,  their  dress  has  been  written 
about  as  being  pretty.  The  women  may  look  pretty  in  the  selected 
costumes  we  see  printed,  but  as  we  saw  them  every  day  about  Manila 
they  are,  as  a  rule,  the  most  unattractive  women  to  be  found  any 
where.  It  is  true  that  their  novel  dress  and  appearance  may  make 
them  interesting  for  a  time,  but  their  filthy  tobacco  and  other  repulsive 
habits  make  them  anything  but  attractive.  Their  dress  is  decidedly  trop 
ical  and  consists  of  Camisa  or  waist,  with  great,  bloomer-like  sleeves. 
A  fancy  hand-stitched  chemise,  which  the  coarse-meshed  Camisa  does 
not  hide,  seems  to  have  been  made  with  a  view  to  the  fact  that  it  is 
to  be  seen.  A  small  silk  wrap,  not  larger  than  a  good-sized  handker 
chief,  is  brought  around  the  neck,  the  ends  forming  a  sort  of  bow  over 
the  breast.  A  big  square  piece  of  black  cloth  envelopes  the  lower  part 
of  the  body  to  the  knees,  and  below  it  is  revealed  a  skirt  with  all  the 
colors  of  the  rainbow.  Their  bare  feet  are  placed  on  slippers  that  have 
a  single  strap  over  the  foot  holding  them  on. 

Attractive  Native  Women. 

Many  of  the  Mestiza  or  half-caste  women  and  girls  are  very  attrac 
tive,  and,  like  the  native  women,  they  have  beautiful  hair,  which  not  in 
frequently  reaches  to  their  heels  and  of  which  they  are  inordinately 
proud.  They  also  take  pride  in  small  feet,  if  they  happen  to  possess 
them,  and  it  is  not  at  all  unusual  to  see  slippers  which  are  quite  too 
small  for  their  owners  and  leave  some  of  the  toes  dangling  helplessly 
outside. 

Coffee  and  fruit  are  served  in  the  early  morning.  An  exceeding!}7 
light  breakfast  is  provided  about  8  o'clock.  Tiffin,  which  is  a  substan 
tial  luncheon  with  several  hot  dishes,  is  taken  at  noon,  and  dinner  is 
served  at  8  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

In  deference  to  the  earthquake  and  the  typhoon,  architecture  in 
Manila  takes  peculiar  forms.  The  only  high  buildings  are  the  churches, 
and  these  are  built  with  very  thick  walls.  The  public  buildings  are 
heavy  and  gloomy.  In  the  business  quarter  the  houses  are  of  two 


210  MANILA    AND    LUZON    UNDER   SPANISH    RULE. 

stories  with  enormously  thick  walls  and  partitions.  The  Malay  bunga 
lows  in  the  suburbs  are  one-story,  supported  with  tiles  or  stone  founda 
tions  and  covered  with  thatch.  In  the  Chinese  quarter  the  buildings  are 
chiefly  one-story  and  where  two-storied  have  the  lower  one  of  great 
solidity  and  the  upper  one  so  light  as  to  be  almost  fragile. 

Another  enemy  of  houses  never  to  be  ignored  is  the  white  ant. 
This  energetic  creature,  as  well  as  two  or  three  of  his  allies,  is  so  vo 
racious  that  the  wooden  beams  and  floors  of  houses  frequently  must 
be  renewed  after  their  attacks.  Every  effort  has  been  made  by  the 
people  to  avert  the  ravages  of  the  ants;  they  have  tried  varnishing  the 
woods  and  painting  them  with  poisonous  compounds,  on  all  of  which 
the  ants  seem  to  thrive.  There  are  some  woods  which  are  less  subject 
to  the  pest  than  others,  but  none  is  entirely  exempt. 

Arrangement  of  the  Dwellings. 

Houses  follow  the  example  of  those  in  Spain  and  the  Spanish- 
American  countries  for  their  interior  arrangement.  Almost  always 
the  dwelling  is  built  around  an  open  quadrangle  or  else  there  is  a  drive 
way  through  the  house  with  a  courtyard  in  the  interior  or  at  the  rear 
of  the  building.  Sometimes  the  house  sits  back  from  the  street,  se 
cluded  by  a  high  wall.  Rooms,  halls,  carriageway  and  courtyard  are 
smoothly  paved  with  blocks  of  stone  brought  from  quarries  in  China. 
The  walls  are  covered  writh  whitewash  and  stone  stairways  lead  to  the 
second  floor,  where  the  choicer  living  apartments  always  are  found. 
Windows  and  doors  are  left  open  as  much  as  possible  and  refreshing 
breezes  moderate  the  heat  of  nearly  all  seasons.  It  requires  no  exer 
tion  on  the  part  of  a  householder  to  make  his  home  beautiful.  Nature 
will  do  it  all.  Mosses,  vines  and  flowers  cover  every  wall,  and  trees 
sprout  everywhere,  all  with  blossoms  and  blazes  of  color  in  every  place, 
expected  and  unexpected. 

Stocks  of  goods  kept  by  the  merchants  of  Manila  are  small,  because 
of  the  excessive  and  indiscriminate  taxation  which  was  applied  under 
the  Spanish  regime.  The  dealer  made  as  little  display  as  possible,  in 
order  to  avoid  the  appearance  of  wealth  and  consequent  taxation.  How 
ever,  the  stocks  of  goods  are  now  fairly  well  selected  and  anything 
ordered  can  be  obtained  promptly  from  the  bonded  warehouses.  Cloth 
ing  for  men  and  women  alike  is  made  to  order  in  less  time  than  any- 


MANILA    AND    LUZON    UNDER   SPANISH    KULE.  211 

where  else  on  earth,  and  the  goods  themselves  are  brought  to  the  home 
of  the  customer  for  selection  instead  of  requiring  a  shopping  expedition. 

Native  Merchants  and  Their  Wares. 

Silver  and  gold  jewelry,  made  by  native  workmen  and  sold  in 
the  stores  of  Manila,  is  peculiarly  interesting  and  attractive.  Basket- 
work  of  all  sorts  and  fancy  matting  are  other  offerings  of  the  shops 
of  peculiar  interest  to  strangers.  Confections  of  guava  and  other 
fruits  prepared  with  native  sugar,  appeal  to  those  fond  of  sweet 
meats.  Chinese  stores  offer  fans  of  all  sorts  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest  price.  Parasols  and  umbrellas,  which  are  required  by  every 
one,  whether  in  dry  or  rainy  seasons,  form  a  large  part  of  the  wares 
of  the  shopkeepers.  Altogether,  the  stranger  in  Manila  may  find 
plenty  of  novelties  to  buy  for  souvenirs  of  his  journey,  characteristic 
of  the  country  and  exceedingly  interesting  to  the  people  at  home. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  spots  of  Manila  is  the  old  Paco  ceme 
tery,  with  its  massive  walls  suggestive  rather  of  a  defense  for  the  liv 
ing  than  of  a  last  refuge  for  the  dead.  The  cemetery  is  in  a  circular 
space  inclosed  by  a  huge  wall  of  masonry  eight  or  nine  feet  thick  and 
ten  feet  high.  The  only  entrance  is  through  a  gate  of  iron  and  wood 
of  great  strength,  which  still  further  adds  to  the  appearance  of  fortifi 
cation.  Within  this  circular  wall  is  a  second  wall  built  in  the  same 
manner,  presenting  a  solid  front  to  the  exterior.  The  interior  is  a 
honeycomb  of  crypts  in  which  the  coffins  of  the  dead  are  placed,  the 
entrance  being  sealed  by  small  ornamental  tablets  of  stone  bearing 
the  names  of  the  dead.  In  many  of  the  crypts  there  is  a  double  door, 
the  outer  one  being  of  glass,  through  which  quaint  images  cf  the 
Virgin  and  the  infant  Christ  or  some  other  decoration  such  as  rudely 
fashioned  artificial  flowers  are  seen.  Each  crypt  rents  for  about  $35 
yearly — a  small  fortune  for  these  people — and  when  the  inmate  is  for 
gotten  or  the  relatives  become  impoverished  or  for  any  reason  this 
rental  is  unpaid  the  remains  are  immediately  swept  from  the  tomb  and 
cast  into  a  common  receptacle  for  all  like  unfortunates. 

The  Town  of  Cavite. 

Just  southwest  of  the  province  of  Manila  lies  the  province  of  Cavite, 
which  is  one  of  the  most  important  on  the  island  of  Luzon.  At  the 


212  MANILA   AND   LUZON   UNDER  SPANISH    RULE. 

northern  end  of  the  province  the  land  runs  out  into  Manila  bay  in  a 
long  peninsula,  which  in  turn  divides  into  two  smaller  ones  pointing 
toward  the  mainland.  This  is  the  site  of  the  city  of  Cavite,  which,  be 
sides  being  the  capital  of  the  province,  also  has  been  the  northern  naval 
station  of  the  Philippine  government.  Here  was  the  scene  of  the  de* 
struction  of  the  Spanish  fleet  by  the  American  squadron  under  Ad 
miral  Dewey.  The  city  of  Cavite  is  about  eight  miles  and  a  half  from 
Manila,  measuring  in  a  straight  line  across  the  bay,  and  is  connected 
with  the  capital  by  frequent  ferryboats. 

In  Luzon  are  river  and  lake  systems  second  only  to  those  of  Min 
danao.  The  Rio  Grande  de  Cagayan,  which  rises  near  the  center  of 
the  island,  flows  into  the  ocean  at  the  northern  extremity  and  drains 
an  immense  area  of  great  fertility.  Here  is  grown  the  best  tobacco 
raised  in  the  archipelago.  The  river  is  navigable  for  some  distance, 
although  the  bar  at  the  mouth  obstructs  the  entrance  for  steamers  of 
more  than  ten  feet  draft.  The  Pantanga  river  also  rises  in  South  Cara- 
ballo  mountain  but  flows  in  the  opposite  direction,  emptying  into  Manila 
bay  by  a  delta  with  more  than  twenty  mouths.  The  low  ground  along 
its  banks  is  extensively  cultivated  and  produces  good  crops  of  rice 
and  sugar  cane. 

Water  Courses  of  Luzon. 

A  few  miles  back  of  and  east  from  Manila  bay,  with  the  city  and  its 
suburbs  extending  almost  to  it,  is  a  fresh-water  lake  almost  as  large  as 
the  bay  itself.  This  is  Laguna  de  Bay.  There  are  twenty-five  miles  in 
its  extreme  length  and  over  twenty  at  its  widest  point.  The  River  Pasig 
connects  this  lake  with  the  bay  and  all  sorts  of  native  craft,  such  as 
cascoes,  flat-bottomed  steamers  and  small  gunboats  navigate  the  river 
and  lake.  Lake  Bombon,  half  the  size  of  Laguna  de  Bay,  is  the  fresh 
water  lake  mentioned  in  a  previous  chapter  as  surrounding  the  active 
volcano  Taal. 

Luzon  includes  among  her  wonderful  resources  gold,  coal  and  other 
minerals.  The  sugar  production  of  Luzon  exceeds  that  of  all  the  other 
islands  combined,  and  her  wonderfully  productive  soil  gives  up  a  great 
wealth  of  hemp,  coffee,  rice,  cocoa,  tobacco  and  fruits  and  vegetables 
each  year. 

Luzon  is  the  most  populous  island  of  all  the  Philippine  archipelago, 
some  estimates  as  to  the  numbers  of  its  inhabitants  running  as  high  as 


MANILA   AND   LUZON   UNDER  SPANISH    RULE.  213 

5,000,000.  The  most  important  of  the  numerous  tribes  into  which  the 
people  are  divided  are  the  Tagalogs  and  the  Ilocanos.  Both  are  civil 
ized  and  as  a  rule  orderly,  although  brigandage  is  not  uncommon  in 
the  Tagalog  territory.  It  is  from  this  tribe  that  the  greater  part  of 
Aguinaldo's  support  in  the  insurrection  of  the  Filipinos  has  been  drawn. 
In  a  later  chapter  on  the  people  of  the  Philippines,  more  detailed  infor 
mation  will  be  included  on  the  races  inhabiting  this  island. 

Luzon  is  the  most  populous  island  of  all  the  Philippine  archipelago, 
some  estimates  as  to  the  numbers  of  its  inhabitants  running  as  high  as 
5,000,000.  The  most  important  of  the  numerous  tribes  into  which  the 
people  are  divided  are  the  Tagalogs  and  the  Ilocanos.  Both  are  civil 
ized  and  as  a  rule  orderly,  although  brigandage  is  not  uncommon  in 
the  Tagalog  territory.  It  is  from  this  tribe  that  the  greater  part  of 
Aguinaldo's  support  in  the  insurrection  of  the  Filipinos  has  been  drawn. 
In  a  later  chapter  on  the  people  of  the  Philippines,  more  detailed  in 
formation  will  be  included  on  the  races  inhabiting  this  island. 

The  absence  of  proper  railway  facilities  is  not  as  great  a  handicap  in 
the  Philippines  as  it  might  be  in  some  other  countries,  for  the  remark 
ably  irregular  coast-line  and  the  extended  interior  water  systems  en 
able  the  traveler  to  reach  the  greater  part  of  the  archipelago  by  boat. 
There  are  little,  light-draft  steamboats  which  go  almost  everywhere 
and  which  charge  very  low  fares,  while  upon  every  navigable  stream, 
lake  and  bay  are  small  boats  which  can  be  hired  for  an  insignificant 
sum. 

Steamship  Service  of  the  Island. 


A  steamer  runs  from  Manila  northward  along  the  west  coast  of 
Luzon  nearly  to  Cape  Bojeador.  At  any  one  of  several  ports  the 
traveler  who  is  willing  to  undergo  discomfort  may  begin  an  excursion 
into  the  interior  of  the  island,  where  scenery  of  great  beauty  will 
be  found  and  native  manners  and  customs  may  be  studied  in  their  most 
primitive  condition.  There  is  very  little  danger  to  the  traveler  in  the 
extreme  north  along  the  coast,  for  the  natives  are  hospitable  to  the 
limit  of  their  means  and  quite  docile.  The  country  is  little  cultivated 
by  civilized  methods  except  in  the  more  accessible  portions. 


CHAPTER  XII. 
THE   CENTRAL  ISLANDS    OF  THE   ARCHIPELAGO. 

The  Visayan  Archipelago — On  an  Island  Steamer- — A  Typical  Spanish  Town 
— A  Fort  Without  a  Gun — Yellow  Journalism  in  the  Philippines — 
Beautiful  Women  Who  Smoke — Cebu  and  Its  Commercial  Import 
ance — The  Island  of  Panay — The  Sulu  Sea  and  Its  Boundaries — Prim 
itive  Modes  of  Life  in  Palawan — Among  the  Savage  Tribes. 

Second  to  Manila  in  commercial  importance  and  population  is  the 
city  of  Iloilo,  which  is  situated  on  the  island  of  Panay.  Panay  is  one 
of  that  group  of  islands  lying  north  of  the  great  island  of  Mindanao 
and  south  of  the  eastern  portion  of  Luzon,  known  as  the  Visayan 
archipelago.  Other  important  islands  of  the  group  are  Guimaras, 
Negros,  Cebu,  Bohol,  Samar  and  Leyte. 

Iloilo  came  into  familiarity  because  of  its  importance  in  the  Spanish- 
insurgent  complications.  After  the  capture  of  Manila  by  the  American 
forces,  Iloilo  was  the  seat  of  Spanish  government  in  the  Philippines.  It 
was  then  surrounded  by  the  insurgents,  who  besieged  the  city  until  the 
Spanish  commander  surrendered  to  them.  This  situation  was  a  con 
siderable  puzzle  to  the  American  authorities  in  the  island.  It  placed  the 
insurgent  forces  in  possession  of  the  second  city  in  the  archipelago,  with 
an  ample  supply  of  arms  and  ammunition.  They  proceeded  to  organize 
a  government  of  their  own,  quite  distinct  from  that  of  which  Aguinaldo 
was  the  head,  announcing  it  as  the  Visayan  republic.  When  American 
troops  were  hurried  to  Iloilo  from  Manila,  300  miles  away,  they  were 
forbidden  the  privilege  of  landing  and  the  situation  became  more  than 
critical.  This  was  at  the  time  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  of  peace  with 
Spain  wras  under  discussion  in  the  United  States  Senate  and  the  state  of 
affairs  at  Iloilo  was  brought  into  particular  prominence.  There  was  a 
general  sentiment  of  reluctance  throughout  the  country  to  see  American 
arms  turned  against  an  insurgent  body  who  had  expelled  their  enemies 
from  the  second  stronghold  of  the  island,  and  were  standing  upon  their 
rights  as  victors  over  the  Spanish  to  demand  consideration  and  inde- 

214 


THE   CENTRAL  ISLANDS  OF  THE  ARCHIPELAGO.          215 

pendence.  Let  Mr.  McCutcheon,  the  artist  correspondent,  describe  his 
interesting  journey  from  Manila  to  Iloilo,  made  last  September,  when 
conditions  were  strained  but  before  the  insurgents  had  taken  the  city. 

On  An  Island  Steamer. 

"The  trip  between  the  two  cities  is  one  of  the  most  charming  ex 
periences  that  a  traveler  could  ever  hope  for.  Some  day,  when  the  army 
of  tourists  invades  the  Philippines  and  the  red  guidebook  and  the 
personally  conducted  tour  become  established  features,  there  will  be 
pages  and  pages  in  the  steamship  prospectuses  devoted  to  it.  The  island 
sea  of  Japan,  the  Thousand  Islands  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  castle- 
capped  peaks  of  the  Rhine  and  the  beautiful  Golden  Horn  of  Turkey 
will  have  a  new  rival.  During  the  forty  hours  that  it  takes  one  of  the 
small  steamers  of  the  Compania  Maritima  to  make  the  run,  the  sight 
of  land  is  never  lost,  and  the  scene  is  constantly  shifting,  and  is  always 
new  and  wonderful.  The  vessel  passes  by  dozens  of  islands,  every  one 
of  which  is  glorious  in  the  richness  of  its  foliage,  the  splendor  of  its 
mountain  sides  or  the  dazzling  whiteness  of  its  long  stretch  of  sandy 
beach.  Sometimes  you  are  in  a  narrow  channel,  with  great  uplifts  of 
brilliant  green  rising  on  either  hand;  then  you  are  carried  into  an  open 
sea,  with  only  the  blue  hills  of  distant  islands  breaking  the  serene 
horizon  or  clusters  of  waving  palm  trees  or  some  lonely  coral  atoll 
swimming  on  the  skyline  like  a  mirage  on  the  desert.  On  one  side  may 
be  the  lofty  purple  heights  of  an  island  mountain  range,  standing  out 
against  the  angry,  ominous  blackness  of  the  storm  clouds  which  seem 
to  be  everlastingly  rioting  in  imposing  tumult  around  the  crests;  on 
the  other  side  may  be  gleaming  strips  of  beach,  with  tangles  of  trop 
ical  verdure  lining  them;  then  long,  easy  slopes  of  rich,  brilliant  moun 
tain  sides  fading  away  to  a  jagged  skyline  of  distant  blue.  There  are 
several  volcanoes  that  are  active,  and  may  be  marked  by  the  hazy 
smoke  that  lifts  lazily  against  the  clouds. 

"Just  now  there  are  very  few  vessels  venturing  on  the  run,  for  the 
Compania  Maritima,  which  is  a  Spanish  concern,  has  only  two  of  its 
vessels  put  under  the  American  flag,  and  those  that  carry  the  Span 
ish  flag  are  afraid  to  venture  out  of  Manila  or  Iloilo  for  fear  of  the 
insurgent  steamers  that  lie  in  hiding  among  the  coves  of  the  archi 
pelago  waiting  to  dash  out  and  seize  any  floating  thing  that  shows  the 
red  and  yellow  at  its  peak. 


216          THE  CENTRAL  ISLANDS  OF  THE  ARCHIPELAGO. 

"In  company  with  three  other  correspondents,  I  started  for  Iloilo 
several  days  ago.  Up  to  this  time  no  American  had  made  the  trip 
since  peace  was  declared,  and  we  had  a  good  deal  of  curiosity  to  know 
how  wre  would  be  received.  The  officers  of  the  Buluan,  one  of  the 
Spanish  steamers  recently  placed  under  our  flag  as  an  insurance 
against  insurgent  attack,  looked  on  us  with  considerable  suspicion,  for 
they  wrere  all  Spanish  and  in  wholesome  fear  of  the  governor-general 
now  at  Iloilo. 

"Mr.  Balfour,  a  young  Scotchman  and  manager  of  the  Iloilo 
branch  of  the  Hong  Kong  and  Shanghai  bank,  was  the  only  other  pas 
senger  on  board  who  spoke  English.  As  the  vessel  reached  the  island 
of  Panay  and  steamed  along  down  the  coast  he  pointed  out  the  posi 
tions  held  by  the  insurgents.  When  she  reached  Concepcion,  the  place 
of  the  farthest  advance  of  the  revolutionary  forces,  the  Spaniards 
looked  with  anxious  eagerness  at  the  distant  shore  line  and  the  word 
'insurrecto'  occurred  with  much  frequency.  It  was  noticed,  too,  that 
with  Mr.  Balfour  there  was  a  disposition  to  conduct  all  references  to 
the  present  operations  on  the  island  in  a  decided  undertone. 

A  Typical  Spanish  Town. 

"Iloilo  was  reached  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon.  It  is  a  typical 
tropical  Spanish  town,  situated  on  a  flat,  sandy  point  of  land  which 
juts  out  into  the  strait.  Guimaras  island  lies  two  miles  to  the  east 
ward,  and  beyond  it  were  the  volcanic  mountains  of  Negros  island. 
A  number  of  Spanish  vessels  were  lying  in  the  harbor  and  a  greater 
number  could  be  seen  in  the  river.  A  small  boat  came  out  of  the  river 
and  approached  the  Buluan.  As  she  stopped  alongside,  the  pilot  came 
aboard  and  made  preparations  to  take  the  vessel  into  the  river,  but 
when  he  found  that  there  wrere  Americans  on  board  he  proceeded  im 
mediately  back  to  the  town.  There  was  a  long  wait,  and  then  we 
realized  that  an  obstacle  had  evidently  reared  its  horrid  front  and 
that  an  objection  had  been  advanced  regarding  our  landing.  The 
Spaniards  on  board,  who  wrere  delayed  in  landing,  regarded  us  with 
pronounced  disfavor.  The  captain  then  came  to  us  and  through  Mr. 
Balfour  informed  us  that  we  would  have  to  produce  passports  and 
official  credentials  from  General  Otis.  As  we  had  none,  and,  in  fact, 
had  never  even  thought  that  there  might  be  a  necessity  for  such  things, 


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THE  CEXT1UL   ISLANDS  OF  THE  ARCHIPELAGO.          219 

we  began  to  entertain  the  prospect  of  being  compelled  to  go  back 
to -Manila  without  landing. 

"A  steam  launch  finally  came  out  of  the  river  and  bore  down  on  the 
Buluan.  Presently  a  Spanish  officer  came  aboard,  and  a  long  and 
earnest  conversation  was  held  between  him  and  the  captain.  After 
some  minutes  we  were  informed  by  Mr.  Balfour  that  it  would  be  neces 
sary  for  us  to  get  permission  from  the  governor-general  allowing  us  to 
land.  He  kindly  volunteered  to  see  the  British  consul  and  endeavor 
to  obtain  that  permission.  The  launch  then  steamed  back  to  the  city 
with  him  on  board,  and  it  was  noticed  with  some  interest  that  armed 
carabinieros  were  left  on  the  ship,  two  posted  at  each  gangway.  There 
was  a  terrific  wait.  At  nearly  6  o'clock  the  vessel  got  permission  to 
proceed,  and  about  6:30  she  drew  up  at  the  wharf  in  Iloilo  river.  We 
were  then  informed  that  we  would  be  permitted  to  land  and  that 
the  governor-general  wished  to  see  us  at  once.  We  were  allowed  to 
land  our  small  luggage,  and  through  the  courtesy  of  the  port  officials 
it  was  not  examined. 

An  Interview  with  the  Governor-General. 

"Our  cards  were  at  once  sent  to  the  governor  and  we  were  asked  to 
come  to  him  early  in  the  morning.  There  were  no  hotels  in  towrn,  but  the 
English  residents  took  us  in  with  a  kindness  and  hospitality  that  over 
whelmed  us.  Early  the  following  morning  a  small  delegation  of  Amer 
icans  was  ushered  into  the  presence  of  Governor-General  Rios  at  the 
official  palace.  The  general  is  a  large  man  of  imposing  military  pres 
ence,  and  was  courteous  in  the  extreme.  It  was  explained  through  an 
interpreter  that  the  visitors  were  American  newspaper  representatives, 
who  were  charmed  with  the  beauty  of  the  islands,  and  who  wished 
before  returning  to  America  to  make  a  trip  among  the  southern  islands. 
The  general  volunteered  every  courtesy  and  offered  letters  of  intro 
duction  to  various  governors  in  Mindanao  and  the  Sulu  group,  but  he 
explained  that  steamers  were  running  very  irregularly,  and  that  he 
did  not  want  us  to  venture  into  the  interior,  out  of  regard  for  our  per 
sonal  safety. 

A  Defenseless  City. 

"Conditions  in  Iloilo  were  critical.  The  inhabitants  were  almost 
terror-stricken,  for  the  insurgents  were  expected  to  attack  within  two 


220  THE   CENTRAL  ISLANDS   OF  THE   ARCHIPELAGO. 

days.  The  town  was  almost  defenseless.  An  old  fort,  which  was 
ancient  a  hundred  years  ago,  commanded  the  harbor,  but  it  spent  all 
its  time  commanding,  for  there  were  no  guns  mounted  in  it.  A  line  of 
stone  breastworks  extended  along  the  beaches  around  the  town,  but 
they  were  ridiculous  as  protection  against  any  force  excepting  infantry 
forces,  which  might  attack  by  swimming  across.  The  river  was  choked 
with  Spanish  steamers  that  were  afraid  to  venture  out  under  the  Span 
ish  flag.  A  few  troops  were  scattered  through  the  town,  but  they 
were  so  few  and  badly  organized  that  they  only  served  to  emphasize 
the  fact  that  the  city  was  practically  defenseless.  Big  bodies  of  in 
surgents  were  known  to  be  advancing  from  the  north  and  west,  and  a 
titanic  effort  was  being  made  to  collect  troops  sufficient  to  stop  their  ad 
vances.  There  were  three  Spanish  gunboats  in  the  river,  the  Samar, 
Mindow  and  El  Cano.  The  two  first  named  were  small  and  of  the  same 
size  as  the  Callao,  but  the  last  was  much  larger.  Her  engines  wrere  in 
bad  order  and  it  was  common  gossip  that  if  her  heaviest  guns  were 
fired  the  shock  would  shake  the  ship  to  pieces. 

"The  day  after  our  visit  to  the  governor  a  transport  arrived  from 
Paragua  having  150  troops.  It  was  learned  that  General  Bios  was  con 
centrating  all  the  Spanish  forces  of  the  other  islands  on  Panay,  in  the 
hope  of  preventing  the  fall  of  the  city  before  the  conclusion  of  the 
Paris  conference.  During  the  following  three  days  other  transports 
arrived  with  troops,  wrhich  w^ere  at  once  sent  off  to  a  secret  destination. 
The  inhabitants  were  given  to  understand  that  the  troops  were  being- 
sent  to  relieve  other  garrisons,  but  it  was  found  that  they  in  reality 
were  being  dispatched  to  Antigue  on  the  west  coast,  where  the  insur 
gents  were  advancing. 

Waiting  for  the  Blue  Jackets. 

"The  English  residents  of  Iloilo  were  eagerly  hoping  for  the  arrival 
of  American  warships,  feeling  that  the  presence  of  an  American  force 
would  prevent  the  outbreak  and  massacre  that  otherwise  would  surely 
result.  The  business  interests  are  all  hopeful  that  the  Americans  wrill 
retain  the  islands,  for  they  feel  that  no  peace  can  be  expected  as  long 
as  the  Spaniards  remain  in  Iloilo. 

"The  three  large  towns  of  the  island  of  Panay  are  Iloilo,  Molo  and 
Jaro,  all  of  which  are  bunched  together  down  at  the  southeastern  cor- 


THE   CENTRAL   1SLAKDS   OF  THE  ARCHIPELAGO.  221 

ner.  The  first  named  is  the  big  commercial  center,  where  all  the  Euro 
peans  live,  and  it  ranks  even  as  great  as  Manila  in  the  extent  of  some 
of  its  shipping.  Along  the  river  and  the  quay  there  are  immense  go- 
downs  filled  with  hemp,  sugar  and  copra,  and  in  time  of  peace  there  are 
lines  of  steamers  and  sailing  schooners  constantly  running  between  the 
town  and  the  great  sugar  and  hemp  districts  of  Negros,  Mindanao, 
Leyte  and  the  coasts  of  the  island  of  Panay  itself.  Just  now  there  are 
only  occasional  steamers  plying  back  and  forth,  and  these  fly  some 
flag  other  than  the  Spanish  flag. 

"The  town  of  Iloilo  is  not  especially  interesting,  the  most  attractive 
thing  about  it  being  that  it  is  a  little  cooler  than  Manila.  The  official 
residence  of  the  present  governor-general  of  the  Philippines  overlooks 
the  plaza  and  is  not  particularly  imposing.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
plaza  are  the  cathedral  and  the  big  building  occupied  by  the  priests. 
The  chief  business  houses  are  all  on  the  Calle  Real,  or  chief  street  of 
the  town,  and  with  only  two  exceptions  are  owned  by  Englishmen  or 
Chinese.  The  Spanish  population  is  usually  connected  with  the  gov 
ernment  or  army  in  some  way,  or  else  work  for  the  English.  There  are 
three  newspapers — the  Porvenir  de  Bisayas,  the  Eco  de  Panay  and  the 
I-Ieraldo.  The  Porvenir  is  the  only  one  that  is  reputable  and  fairly 
trustworthy.  The  Eco  is  bitter  in  the  most  malignant  form.  On  the 
day  we  arrived  in  Iloilo  it  printed  an  article  stating  that  the  American 
soldiers  in  Manila  were  bloodthirsty  and  were  killing  natives  and  tor 
turing  them  with  all  kinds  of  barbarity.  This  has  been  the  kind  of 
news  it  has  printed  since  the  wrar  began. 

Native  Impressions  Concerning  Americans. 

"Among  many  of  the  natives  of  Iloilo  there  is  an  established  belief 
that  the  Americans  are  Indians  with  long  hair  and  an  abnormal  thirst 
for  blood.  This  impression  has  existed  because  most  of  the  natives  have 
never  seen  an  American.  As  a  natural  consequence  of  this  the  members 
of  our  party  were  objects  of  a  good  deal  of  concern  and  curiosity.  In 
other  words,  from  the  time  we  heard  what  Americans  were  supposed  to 
be  in  the  eyes  of  the  natives  we  felt  that  we  were  a  sort  of  'exhibit  A,'  and 
our  object  in  life  was  to  live  down  the  reputation  of  our  countrymen  and 
show  what  nice  people  Americans  really  are.  Mr.  Davis  and  Mr.  Bass 
are  not  particularly  ferocious  looking,  and  I  have  some  hope  that  his- 


2L>i          THE   CENTRAL  ISLANDS   OF  THE  ARCHIPELAGO. 

tory  will  not  record  me  as  one  who  ioves  slaughter  and  gloats  over  the 
massacre  of  innocents.  These  personal  confessions  may  be  excused  as 
having  a  definite  bearing  on  the  story.  Therefore,  in  the  history  of  the 
world  there  were  probably  never  before  three  individuals  who  so  com 
pletely  embodied  all  the  essentials  of  peacefulness,  good  behavior  and 
high  and  lofty  conduct  as  we  did  while  on  exhibition  during  our  mission 
of  enlightenment. 

"There  are  two  banks  in  Iloilo,  the  Hong  Kong  and  Shanghai  bank 
and  the  Banco  Filipino  Espanol.  The  former  is  of  course  a  branch  of 
the  great  oriental  bank  of  the  same  name  and  is  almost  as  strong  as 
the  Bank  of  England.  It  is  a  silver  bank,  however,  all  its  operations 
being  conducted  on  that  basis.  Mr.  C.  H.  Balfour,  the  manager,  a 
first  cousin  of  Robert  Louis  Stevenson,  was  once  stationed  in  New 
York  city  for  six  months  in  the  interests  of  the  bank. 

A  Clash  with  the  Authorities. 

"Mr.  Balfour  had  just  brought  down  from  Manila  150,000  Mexican 
dollars  on  the  Buluan.  The  Spanish  authorities  examined  this  ship 
ment  very  closely.  For  several  years  there  has  been  a  law  prohibiting 
the  circulation  of  Mexican  dollars  of  a  later  date  than  1877,  and  as 
among  the  present  shipment  were  some  of  a  later  date  for  awhile  there 
was  great  danger  that  the  shipment  would  be  confiscated  b}7  the  au 
thorities.  After  some  discussion,  supported  by  the  high  standing  of 
Mr.  Balfour  with  the  Spaniards,  the  shipment  was  released  and  sent 
back  to  Manila. 

"There  is  an  English  club  with  a  membership  of  about  twenty-five, 
four  or  five  of  whom  are  Germans,  six  or  eight  English  and  the  rest 
Scotch.  Nearly  all  the  Britons  in  Iloilo  happen  to  be  Scotch.  Only  one 
cafe  of  any  pretensions  could  be  found,  and  that  is  purely  a  Spanish 
cafe,  where  dashing  Castilian  officers  sit  ten  or  twelve  hours  a  day  tell 
ing  how  Sagasta  ought  to  have  run  things. 

"About  five  miles  out  from  Iloilo  is  Jaro,  but  it  isn't  pronounced 
that  way.  It  sounds  as  if  it  were  spelled  Harrow,  and  for  the  first  day 
or  two  I  thought  people  were  talking  about  the  English  preparatory 
school.  The  road  out  is  beautiful  with  tropical  splendor,  but  the  bridge 
is  broken  down  and  one  has  a  good  walk  in  the  blazing  sunshine  before 
one  reaches  Jaro.  And  after  a  short  residence  in  Iloilo  a  person  a  enures 


THE   CENTRAL  ISLANDS   OF  THE   ARCHIPELAGO.  223 

a  wholesome  fear  of  the  midday  sun.  The  local  foreign  residents  were 
earnest  in  their  warnings  against  exposure  to  the  sun,  and  about  the 
first  thing  that  is  done  when  down  there  is  to  buy  a  large  sun  hat  which 
closely  resembles  a  Hindu  pagoda. 

The  Market  Place  in  Jaro. 

"There  was  the  regular  Thursday  market  on  in  Jaro  when  we 
reached  the  town.  A  district  five  or  six  acres  in  extent  was  laid  out  in 
irregular  lanes  of  small  shelter  houses  and  several  hundred  natives  were 
thronging  up  and  down  these  lanes,  bargaining  and  smoking  tre 
mendous  'cigarros.'  The  heat  was  intense,  but  in  spite  of  the  discom 
fort  of  it  the  experience  was  one  of  the  most  enjoyable  and  wonderful  we 
had  ever  been  through.  Certain  sections  were  devoted  entirely  to  cloth 
goods,  others  to  hemp  ready  to  be  woven  into  the  cloth,  others  to  fish 
markets,  milk,  food  supplies,  baskets,  tobacco  and  dozens  of  other  native 
commodities.  The  people  were  extremely  picturesque,  and  many  of 
the  young  girls  were  very  beautiful.  It  was  strange  to  see  how  general 
it  was  for  the  women  to  smoke  and  to  see  to  what  gigantic  cigars  their 
fancy  ran.  The  cigars  were  manufactured  as  occasion  demanded,  a  roll 
of  tobacco  being  wound  about  with  a  string,  and  the  result  was  that 
the  extemporized  cigar  looked  like  a  long,  ragged  torch. 

"The  market  lasted  all  during  the  forenoon  and  then  the  throng  be 
gan  to  dwindle  away.  The  long  rows  of  bull  carts  and  carom atas  scat 
tered  all  through  the  country,  and  at  1  o'clock  the  scene  of  our  financial 
conquests  was  quiet  and  sleepy  and  the  thatched  palm  roofs  of  the  nipa 
shelters  slumbered  in  the  deadly  heat  of  the  midday  sun. 

"Molo — which,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  is  pronounced  as  it  is  spelled 
— lies  off  from  Iloilo  in  another  direction.  This  is  where  the  mestizos, 
or  half-castes,  live.  Chinese  who  have  married  Indian  girls  make  Molo 
their  home.  It  is,  like  Jaro,  a  large  settlement,  and  a  great  number  of 
wealthy  Chinese  have  built  it  up  to  quite  a  respectable  and  substantial 
appearance.  There  are  a  number  of  factories  there  where  different 
native  fabrics  are  woven,  but  the  Philippine  idea  of  a  factory  is  not 
ours.  Three  or  four  looms  are  in  a  residence,  and  the  women  members 
of  the  household  go  out  and  weave  a  piece  of  cloth  whenever  the  mood 
possesses  them.  A  purchaser  desiring  a  cloth  of  a  particular  color  can 
have  it  made  according  to  his  own  design.  It  takes  some  time,  because 


224  THE   CENTRAL   ISLANDS   OF   THE   ARCHIPELAGO. 

in  this  manana  land  the  natives  never  believe  in  doing  anything  to 
morrow  that  can  be  put  off  until  day  after  to-morrow." 

An  Important  Commercial  City. 

Cebu  is  now  the  third  commercial  city  of  the  Philippines  and  the 
capital  of  the  island  bearing  the  same  name.  A  line  of  steamers  runs 
from  Iloilo  to  Cebu  in  about  twenty  hours,  while  a  more  pretentious 
line  runs  from  Manila  to  Cebu  direct.  For  many  years  this  city  ranked 
next  to  Manila  in  commercial  importance,  but  Iloilo  finalty  passed  it  in 
the  race  and  now  stands  second.  However,  until  the  recent  insurrec 
tion  disturbed  all  commerce  and  agriculture,  it  was  still  the  shipping 
center  for  much  of  the  hemp  raised  in  the  Visayan  islands.  The  popu 
lation  is  about  10,000  and  the  foreign  community  consists  only  of 
agencies  of  two  English,  one  German  and  three  Spanish  business  houses. 
One  man  holds  all  the  foreign  consulates  and  the  business  houses  rep 
resent  all  the  insurance  companies  and  banks  as  well. 

Like  St.  Augustine  and  Santa  Fe  to  the  United  States,  in  their  be 
ing  the  first  settled  places  by  the  Spaniards,  so  is  Cebu  to  the  Philip 
pines.  In  1565  and  for  six  years  after  that  it  was  the  colony's  seat  of 
government. 

In  1759  the  town  ceased  to  have  a  municipal  government,  because 
there  were  not  enough  Spaniards  to  form  one.  The  Mayor  of  that  year 
was  impeached  for  his  brutality  and  extortion  committed  against  inno 
cent  Chinamen.  It  was  only  ten  years  ago,  after  having  been  without  a 
municipal  government  for  130  years,  that  it  was  restored. 

The  islands  of  the  Visayan  group  are  more  than  varied  in  their 
characteristics  of  soil,  climate  and  products.  They  are  near  enough  one 
another  that  navigation  for  small  boats  is  easy  and  frequent,  even 
though  some  of  the  channels  between  the  islands  are  rough. 

The  Island  of  Panay. 

Panay  is  one  of  the  most  important  and  fertile  islands  of  the  group. 
It  has  seen  a  more  reckless  waste  of  its  timber  than  any  of  the  other 
islands.  Around  the  old  settled  portions  near  the  coast  are  extensive 
swamps  and  cogonoles  and  crop-growing  fields,  the  latter  to  soon  become 
cogonoles,  that  have  been  ruthlessly  stripped  of  all  trees.  It  is  as  true 
with  the  savage  tribes  here  as  with  our  Indians  that  they  disappear  with 


THE   CENTRAL  ISLANDS   OF   THE   ARCHIPELAGO.  225 

the  beginning  of  development.  They  either  go  to  the  untouched  wood 
lands  of  the  mountains  or  become  extinct  altogether.  Panay,  like 
nearly  all  the  principal  islands,  still  has  plenty  of  wild  men  prowling  in 
the  remote  places  back  in  the  provinces.  Alcohol  is  made  in  quite  an 
extensive  way  considering  the  primitive  method  of  manufacture  on  the 
island  of  Panay,  particularly  in  the  vicinity  of  Capiz.  It  is  made  from 
the  juice  of  the  nipa  palm  blossom-stalk,  which  is  cutoff  and  the  flowing 
sap  caught  in  large  receptacles  or  buckets  to  ferment  and  after  a  time  be 
distilled.  It  is  an  expensive  process,  but  the  product  is  of  an  excellent 
quality.  It  produces  an  alcohol  of  the  highest  grade. 

Although  Cebu  is  the  third  city  of  commercial  importance  in  the 
islands,  there  are  other  native  cities  of  larger  population  which  are  im 
portant  market  towns  for  agricultural  products.  Capiz,  for  instance, 
on  the  northeast  coast  of  Panay,  has  a  population  of  more  than  25,000, 
with  a  Spanish  colony  of  nearly  100. 

Panay  is  one  of  the  few  islands  without  valuable  mineral  deposits. 
The  soil  is  varying  in  its  qualities  of  fertility,  but  generally  is  very  rich. 
Sugar  is  raised  extensively  and  some  fair-sized  plantations  are  operated. 
Cebu  and  Capiz  are  the  chief  towns,  the  former  being  the  third  city  in 
the  islands.  Twenty-five  thousand  is  the  population  of  Capiz. 

The  Most  Fertile  Island. 

Lying  alongside  Panay  and  to  its  southeast  is  without  doubt  the 
most  fertile  island,  its  size  considered,  of  any  of  them.  A  large  percent 
age  of  its  population  are  also  more  peace-loving  than  the  natives  in  most 
of  the  islands.  They  have  given  the  United  States  authorities  compara 
tively  less  trouble  than  in  any  other  thickly  populated  island.  I  refer 
to  the  island  of  Xegros.  It  is  noted  for  the  fine  quality  of  its  tobacco. 
Sugar,  however,  is  the  chief  product  and  this  has  been  so  successful  that 
in  recent  years  the  planters  have  been  enabled  to  equip  their  planta 
tions  with  fairly  modern  machinery. 

The  principal  towns  of  Negros  are  Bais,  Dumaguete  and  Bacalod. 

The  most  southerly  island  of  the  Yisayan  group,  except  the  southern 
extremity  of  Negros  itself,  is  Siquijor,  wrhich  lies  some  fifteen  miles  to 
the  southeast  of  Dumaguete.  One  town  is  named  the  same  as  the  name 
of  the  island  and  another  is  called  San  Antonio,  the  former  on  the  sea 
shore  and  the  latter  on  the  highest  ground  in  the  hills.  Like  most  of 
the  limestone  islands  of  the  Philippines,  Siquijor  is  quite  free  from 


I 

226          THE   CENTRAL  ISLANDS   OF   THE   ARCHIPELAGO. 

malaria.  Inasmuch  as  it  produces  a  large  quantity  of  excellent  food 
products  and  the  people  are  notable  in  the  Philippines  for  their  indus 
try,  it  is  a  somewhat  desirable  place  for  a  short  visit. 

The  island  of  Cebu  lies  directly  east  of  Negros.  The  city,  which 
is  the  capital  of  the  island,  has  been  a.  bishop's  see,  as  well  as  the  resi 
dence  of  the  governor  and  a  general  of  brigade  commanding  the  gover 
nors  of  all  the  Visayau  islands. 

A  Healthful  Climate. 

With  the  exception  of  the  brigands,  which  infest  the  interior  coun 
try,  which  is  a  succession  of  abrupt  hills,  the  island  of  Cebu  is  populated 
with  natives  famous  throughout  the  islands  for  their  genuine  hospi 
tality,  their  happy  home  lives  and  their  orderly  conduct.  The  climate 
of  Cebu  is  superior  and  healthful;  the  soil  does  not  have  great  depth, 
as  a  rule,  but  has  a  lime  sub-soil.  When  cultivated,  limestone  rocks  or 
boulders  are  often  to  be  contended  with. 

Saniar,  also  of  the  Visayan  group,  is  the  tljird  island  in  size  of  all 
the  Philippines.  Catbalogan  is  the  seat  of  government.  It  has  a  good 
harbor  and  its  business  is  considerable.  Commercial^  it  is  a  town  of 
hemp  and  the  hemp-buyers  who  travel  beyond  Manila  all  visit  Catbalo 
gan.  Curing  and  baling  the  hemp  affords  employment  to  many  of  the 
natives  of  the  town.  It  is  difficult  for  travelers  to  obtain  proper  food 
in  the  town,  for  the  ordinary  articles,  except  fish  and  fresh  milk,  are 
scarce  and  high-priced.  Several  small  rivers  seam  the  low  hills  and 
have  rich  valleys.  There  are  no  mountains.  Some  of  the  rivers  are 
navigable.  The  natural  drainage  is  excellent  and  the  climate  is  charm 
ing  and  healthful. 

The  Island  of  Palawan. 

Far  to  the  southward  of  Luzon  lies  the  Sulu  sea,  forming  a  great 
diamond-shaped  body  of  water,  of  which  the  angles  virtually  coincide 
with  the  points  of  the  compass.  The  southwestern  side  of  the  figure 
is  bounded  by  British  North  Borneo;  the  southeastern  by  the  Snlu 
archipelago,  where  the  Moros  have  their  stronghold,  and  by  the  island 
of  Mindanao,  second  in  size  of  the  Philippines;  the  northeast  by  Negros, 
Panay  and  Mindoro;  and  the  northwestern  by  the  island  of  Palawan 
arid  its  neighbors. 


THE   CENTRAL  ISLANDS   OF   THE   ARCHIPELAGO.  227 

This  latter  island,  the  fifth  in  size  of  all  the  Philippines,  with  the 
smaller  ones  adjoining  it  to  the  north  and  south,  forms  one  of  the 
greater  divisions  of  the  whole  archipelago,  known  by  the  Spaniards 
under  the  name  of  Islas  Adjacentes.  Palawan  is  the  native  name  for 
the  island  and  the  one  which  is  considered  geographically  correct, 
although  the  Spaniards  long  have  dubbed  it  Paragua.  The  other 
islands  properly  included  in  the  same  general  division  are  Busuanga, 
Calamianes,  Culion,  Nengalao,  Linapacan,  Cuyo  and  Dumaran  in  the 
northeast,  and  Balabac  in  the  southwest. 

The  traveler  for  the  Islas  Adjacentes  sails  from  Manila  on  one  of 
the  inter-island  steamboats,  which  carry  the  mail,  passengers  and 
freight  throughout  the  archipelago.  The  first  stop  in  the  journey 
usually  is  at  the  Calamianes  islands.  The  same  name  is  applied  to  one 
of  the  provinces,  which  includes  the  numerous  islands  lying  between 
Palawan,  Mindoro  and  Panay.  Cuyo  is  the  capital  of  the  same  province 
and  the  second  port  of  the  journey.  Here,  strangely  enough,  the  popu 
lation  is  composed  almost  altogether  of  women,  wTho  consequently 
monopolize  all  the  trade.  They  come  off  to  the  passenger  steamers  with 
fruit,  provisions  and  curios  and  a  man  is  seldom  seen  by  the  traveler. 

A  Prosperous  Town. 

Palawan  is  one  of  the  least  known  and  least  settled  islands  of  the 
Philippine  archipelago,  of  which,  except  for  some  little  neighbors  to 
the  southward,  it  is  the  westernmost.  The  island  is  nearly  300  miles 
in  length,  its  breadth  ranging  from  six  to  thirty-five  miles,  with  an 
average  of  twenty  miles.  The  capital  is  Puerto  Princessa,  which  is 
situated  on  the  eastern  side  about  midway  between  the  northern  and 
southern  extremities. 

Spain  secured  Palawan  from  the  Sultan  of  Borneo  by  conquest  and 
finally  by  treaty.  A  garrison  was  then  established  to  protect  the  Span 
iards  who  had  settled  in  the  north.  There  was  great  danger  from  the 
war-like  Moros.  After  being  maintained  for  a  few  years,  it  was  left 
without  the  necessary  supplies  and  was  finally  abandoned  after  many 
of  the  troops  had  perished  miserably  of  hunger  and  want.  A  few  years 
later  the  sultan  gave  the  island  to  the  Spanish.  Troops  were  sent  under 
a  captain  to  take  formal  possession.  All  of  them  died  ultimately,  some 
from  eating  rotten  food  and  others  in  war  wTith  the  Moros.  Still  later 
a  third  garrison  was  established  at  Tay  Tay.  At  first  a  little  settlement 


228  THE   CENTRAL   ISLANDS   OF   THE   ARCHIPELAGO. 

grew  up  around  it,  which  ultimately  shared  the  fate  of  its  predecessor. 
After  centuries  of  effort  to  settle  the  island  and  protect  the  settlers, 
a  renewed  attempt  was  made  on  the  part  of  the  Spanish  authorities. 

Efforts  to  Colonize  an  Island. 

The  Madrid  government  in  1885  issued  a  royal  order  establishing 
military  posts  in  Palawan  to  protect  the  people  already  there  and  to 
encourage  emigration.  All  Spaniards  or  others  who  wrere  willing  to 
move  there  were  transported  at  the  expense  of  the  government,  would 
be  exempt  from  taxation  for  six  years,  and  were  assisted  with  agri 
cultural  implements  and  seeds.  Even  these  liberal  inducements  did 
not  settle  and  develop  Palawan,  which  the  Spanish  government  so  much 
desired.  A  new  plan  was  then  adopted.  Each  of  certain  thickly  popu 
lated  provinces  were  to  furnish  twenty-five  volunteer  families,  who  were 
to  have  their  debts  to  the  government  cancelled  and  free  transportation 
in  consideration  of  their  taking  up  their  residence  there.  Besides,  each 
family  was  to  be  given  a  few  acres  of  land  and  helped  for  several 
months.  In  addition  the  government  wras  to  build  highways  and  estab 
lish  free  ports.  All  these  glowing  promises  were  never  materialized 
into  anything  beyond  the  establishment  of  some  small  military  posts. 
No  emigrants  arrived,  and  if  money  was  actually  appropriated  to  fur 
ther  the  scheme  to  develop  Palawan,  it  "disappeared." 

The  savage  native  people  of  Palawan  include  various  tribes,  some 
of  them  quite  distinct  from  those  found  in  the  other  islands  of  the 
archipelago.  In  the  southern  part  Moros  are  found,  in  the  northern 
mountain  region,  Battaks,  and  in  the  central  portion  and  along  the 
northern  coast  Tagbanuas.  The  latter  are  commonly  believed  to  be  a 
half-breed  race,  a  mixture  of  the  Negritos  and  some  Malay  tribe.  They 
are  quite  dark  and  their  hair  is  inclined  to  be  curly.  Under  the  advice 
and  direction  of  a  Spanish  engineer  who  was  constructing  a  highway 
across  the  island,  they  have  established  a  village  called  Tagbarus,  in 
which  they  show  a  surprising  capacity  for  civilization.  They  have 
actually  organized  a  form  of  local  government  under  his  advice  and 
started  small  plantations  of  rice,  bananas  and  cocoanut. 

Their  houses  are  built  after  the  style  of  the  Paupauan  houses  in 
New  Guinea,  away  up  high  on  stilts.  They  stand  from  six  to  twelve 
feet  above  the  ground  on  bamboo  poles,  and  the  material  used  through 
out  is  bamboo  and  palm. 

When  the  effort  to  stimulate  voluntary  immigration  into  Palawan 


THE   CENTRAL  ISLANDS   Or  THE  ARCHIPELAGO.  220 

failed,  the  l^panish  continued  to  foster  their  policy  of  providing  pel  tiers 
by  force.  Puerto  Princesa  for  a  long  time  has  been  a  penal  settlement. 
From  other  parts  of  the  colony  convicts  are  sent  to  serve  their  term 
in  the  island.  As  in  most  other  penal  settlements,  when  their  sen 
tences  expire  they  have  no  money  to  pay  for  a  passage  back  to  their 
homes,  so  they  make  the  best  of  it  by  remaining  as  colonists.  While 
they  are  serving  their  terms  in  Puerto  Princesa,  they  are  obliged  to- 
work  on  government  enterprises  of  various  sorts.  Formerly  a  sugar 
plantation  was  maintained  to  furnish  them  employment,  and  when  that 
was  abandoned  they  were  set  to  clearing  timber  land  near  the  city. 

As  is  to  be  expected,  the  convicts  have  suffered  the  same  abuses 
that  have  been  the  curse  of  other  penal  settlements,  aggravated  per 
haps  by  the  fact  that  in  this  case  the  administration  was  Spanish. 
The  convicts  at  Puerto  Princesa  suffer  a  very  high  death  rate,  amount 
ing  sometimes  to  about  twenty-five  per  cent  yearly,  as  the  result  of  their 
hard  labor,  poor  accommodation,  insufficient  food  and  ill  treatment. 

Primitive  Modes  of  Life. 

Manners  of  life  in  Palawan,  even  in  the  capital  of  the  island,  are 
essentially  primitive.  The  servants  are  all  convicts,  who  can  be  hired 
from  the  government,  or  by  a  special  concession,  "trusties,"  men  who 
have  a  certain  degree  of  liberty,  may  be  obtained.  Their  houses  are 
poor,  furniture  scanty,  and  the  markets  provide  an  exceedingly  lim 
ited  bill  of  fare,  consisting  chiefly  of  rice  and  fish.  The  water  supply  is 
contaminated  by  surface  drainage,  so  that  rain-water  preserved  in  large 
tanks  must  be  employed.  A  large  part  of  the  death  rate  of  the  con 
victs  must  be  charged  against  the  water  provided  for  them. 

The  savage  native  people  of  Palawan  include  various  tribes,  some 
of  them  quite  distinct  from  those  found  in  the  other  islands  of  the 
archipelago.  In  the  southern  part  Moros  are  found,  in  the  northern 
mountain  region  Battaks,  and  in  the  central  portion  and  along  the 
northern  coast  Tagbanuas.  The  latter  are  commonly  believed  to  be  a 
half-breed  race,  a  mixture  of  the  Negritos  and  some  Malay  tribe.  They 
are  quite  dark  and  their  hair  is  inclined  to  be  curly.  Under  the  advice 
and  direction  of  a  Spanish  engineer  who  was  constructing  a  highway 
across  the  island,  they  have  established  a  village  called  Tagbarus,  in 


230          THE   CENTRAL  ISLANDS  OF  THE   ARCHIPELAGO. 

which  they  show  a  surprising  capacity  for  civilization.  They  have 
actually  organized  a  form  of  local  government  under  his  advice  and 
started  small  plantations  of  rice,  bananas  and  cocoanuts. 

Among  the  Savage  Tribes. 

Here  is  a  government  within  a  government,  so  to  speak,  for  a  comical 
old  man  deals  out  justice  according  to  the  tribe's  traditions,  regardless 
of  Spanish  intervention. 

At  one  time  they  were  governed  by  a  ruler  whose  sovereignty 
could  terminate  only  in  his  death.  In  that  case  his  eldest  son  would 
become  ruler,  if  acceptable  to  the  people;  if  not,  one  would  be  chosen 
from  among  the  chiefs.  A  trial  for  a  grave  offense  is  very  simple,  and 
the  punishment  generally  more  novel  than  harsh.  The  judges  meet 
with  the  relatives  and  friends  of  the  one  who  prefers  the  charge  aud 
the  one  to  be  tried.  Both  are  ordered  to  dive  into  deep  water.  The 
one  holding  his  breath  or  staying  under  the  longest  is  declared  to  be 
in  the  right  and  the  one  who  has  shown  his  head  first  is  declared  to 
have  spoken  falsely.  After  that  he  may  be  punished  beyond  the  public 
exhibition  given  of  his  guilt,  if  the  crime  is  a  serious  one. 

It  is  iri  the  island  of  Palawan  that  dammar  exists.  A  large  tree 
goes  through  a  sweating  process  and  the  gum  is  taken  from  it.  Some 
times  it  runs  into  the  ground,  one  year's  overflow  on  top  of  another, 
until  extensive  deposits  have  accumulated.  In  some  respects  it  resem 
bles  the  kiraw  gum  of  the  north  island  of  New  Zealand,  except  that 
in  New  Zealand  there  is  doubt  as  to  how  the  gum  got  there,  for  if  from 
a  tree,  it  is  now  entirely  extinct.  The  dammar  gatherers  add  consider 
ably  to  the  yearly  exports  from  the  archipelago,  it  being  estimated  that 
nearly  500  tons  are  shipped  annually. 

The  preponderance  in  numbers  of  women  over  men  in  some  of  the 
New  England  States  has  been  a  live  topic  with  social  economists,  but 
in  the  island  of  Palawan  ninety  per  cent  of  the  population  is  female. 
This  is  accounted  for  because  of  the  lack  of  business  opportunities  in 
Palawan  for  the  men,  so  when  very  young  they  emigrate  to  other 
islands,  leaving  the  poor  women  to  shift  for  themselves.  The  capital 
is  Puerto  Princesa.  It  has  also  been  the  Spanish  naval  station  for  Pala 
wan,  for  the  town  has  the  best  harbor  on  the  island.  A  lighthouse  and 
a  small  ship  for  repairing  vessels  are  the  only  improvements. 


THE  CENTRAL  ISLANDS  OF   THE   ARCHIPELAGO.          281 


Effects  of  Spanish  Misrule. 

At  times  the  Spanish  government  would  adopt  what  appeared  to 
be  a  policy  of  great  liberality  to  those  who  would  essay  to  develop  the 
latent  resources  of  the  Philippines,  particularly  Palawan.  Grants  of 
lands  would  be  given  in  some  instances,  but  none  of  those  receiving- 
grants  could  ever  accomplish  anything,  for  the  widely  heralded  gen 
erous  intentions  of  the  home  government  never  took  any  shape  beyond 
mere  talk.  Those  who  were  led  into  attempting  extensive  improve 
ments  under  the  tempting  bait  usually  lost  everything  they  put  in. 

Under  American  control  these  conditions  will,  of  course,  be  reversed, 
and  the  hidden  treasures  of  Palawan,  as  well  as  of  other  islands,  wrill 
be  brought  to  light  to  benefit  mankind. 

It  is  unfortunate,  however,  that  only  Asiatic  coolies  can  do  hard 
wrork  in  that  climate  and  the  white  laborer  or  even  the  negro  of  the 
United  States  cannot  derive  any  of  the  benefits  of  this  untouched 
wealth. 

Any  estimate  of  the  natural  resources  of  the  Philippine  islands  and 
the  possibility  of  profit  to  energetic  immigrants  must  be  incomplete 
because  of  just  such  facts  as  the  foregoing.  The  Spanish  policy  has 
been  a  handicap  altogether  insurmountable.  The  honest  man  could 
not  face  the  corruption  that  surrounded  him  and  compete  with  it.  The 
dishonest  man,  however  willing  he  might  be  to  bribe  and  use  improper 
influences,  would  find  the  demands  upon  him  growing  more  and  mortp 
as  his  ability  to  pay  more  increased,  so  that  in  the  end  there  would  be 
little  left  for  him. 

Americans  always  have  been  a  pioneering  people,  accustomed  to 
endure  hardships  without  complaint  and  resourceful  enough  to  create 
comfort  for  themselves  even  in  the  wilderness.  It  is  this  fact  that 
justifies  the  belief  that  the  development  of  the  remarkable  latent 
resources  and  varied  possibilities  of  profit  in  the  Philippines  will  be 
rapid  and  constant  as  soon  as  peace  settles  down  upon  the  islands  and 
a  regime  of  law  and  order,  with  assurance  of  protection  to  life  and 
property,  is  established. 


OHAPTEE  XHL 

SULU  AND   MINDANAO,  THE   HOME   OF  THE   MOROS. 

Origin  of  the  Sulu  Mohammedans — A  War  for  Supremacy — Fighting  the 
Pirates — Insurrections  in  the  Islands — An  Efficient  Governor — Where 
the  Slave  Trade  Flourishes — How  to  Govern  the  Sulus — An  Island 
Comparatively  Unknown — Construction  of  the  Native  Houses — Pe 
culiar  Systems  of  Local  Government — Hospitality  of  the  Filipinos. 

Between  the  islands  of  Borneo  and  Mindanao,  extending  from  north 
east  to  southwest,  lies  a  chain  of  150  islands,  and  innumerable  islets  and 
rocks  rising  from  the  water,  known  as  the  Sulu  archipelago.  Their 
coasts  are  washed  on  one  side  by  the  Sulu  sea  and  on  the  other  by  the 
Celebes  sea.  According  to  Spanish  authority  ninety-five  of  these  islands 
are  inhabited.  The  people  are  known  as  the  Moros,  and  it  is  more  than 
likely  that  they  will  one  day  play  an  important  part  in  the  annals  of 
American  history  in  the  Philippines. 

The  history  of  the  Sulus  is  the  history  of  ;the  Moros,  for  there  is 
their  stronghold.  After  the  Spanish  discovery  of  the  Philippines,  as  the 
invaders  endeavored  to  extend  their  sovereignty  southwestward  from 
Mindanao,  they  found  as  an  obstacle  in  their  way  the  settlements  of 
Sulus.  Strangely  enough,  however,  there  was  in  the  early  days  of 
Philippine  history  a  short  alliance  between  the  opposing  forces,  on 
which  Spain  in  after  years  based  her  claim  of  sovereignty  over  the  Sulus. 

The  Mohammedans  reached  this  chain  of  islands  as  a  result  of 
civil  warfare  in  Borneo.  Two  sultans  who  were  brothers  were  in  con 
flict  in  that  great  island,  and  the  unsuccessful  one,  with  his  followers, 
lied  across  the  channel  into  the  Sulu  islands.  It  was  another  exodus 
of  the  same  sort  from  Borneo  that  brought  the  Mohammedan  element 
into  Palawan  and  the  adjacent  islands.  This  defeated  sovereign, 
establishing  his  capital  at  the  town  of  Sulu,  or  Jolo,  as  the  Spanish 
name  it,  began  a  Mohammedan  civilization  which  rapidly  became  a 
strong  power  in  that  part  of  the  world.  A  cousin  of  this  sultan  settled 
on  Basilan,  which  is  the  nearest  to  Mindanao  of  the  Sulu  chain,  and 

232 


SULU  AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS.       233 

soon  became  its  sole  ruler.  He  was  loyal  to  the  sultan  at  first,  but 
in  time  plotted  against  him  and  attacked  the  capital  city  unsuccess 
fully.  After  many  fights  on  land  and  sea  he  retired  again  to  his  own 
possessions  in  Basilan. 

Then  the  sultan  himself  went  to  Manila  and  pledged  his  vassalage 
to  the  Spanish  on  condition  that  they  would  help  him  subjugate  his 
rebellious  cousin.  The  promise  was  promptly  made,  but  the  squadron 
which  was  equipped  under  the  agreement  was  delayed  several  months 
beyond  the  promised  time  before  it  sailed  southward.  In  the  mean 
time  the  sultan,  tired  of  waiting,  attacked  the  rebels  and  routed  them 
completely,  although  he  was  himself  killed  in  the  battle.  The  Span 
iards  in  due  season  arrived  at  Sulu,  and,  not  finding  the  sultan,  turned 
and  wrent  back  to  Manila.  They  preserved  the  treaty  with  great  care 
and  upon  this  has  been  based  the  Spanish  claim  of  sovereignty  over 
the  Sulu  sultanate. 

A  War  for  Supremacy. 

The  next  ruler,  however,  Adasaolan,  extended  his  influence  far  and 
wide.  He  developed  the  archipelago,  made  alliances  with  the  Moham 
medan  king  of  Mindanao  and  the  chief  of  northern  Borneo,  and  com 
pelled  all  his  subjects  and  tributaries  to  adopt  the  Koran  at  the  point  of 
the  sword.  He  built  the  first  mosque  in  the  city  of  Sulu  and  received 
honors  and  titles  all  the  way  from  Turkey,  from  the  head  of  the 
Mohammedan  church,  the  Sublime  Porte,  in  recognition  of  his  services 
to  the  faith.  It  would  seem  that  his  claim  of  sovereignty  and  his  posses 
sion  of  the  territory  gave  him  a  better  title  to  the  islands  than  the  treaty 
of  Manila  gave  to  the  Spanish.  Nevertheless,  in  1595  the  Spaniards 
sent  an  expedition  to  take  possession  of  their  property  and  incidentally 
to  spread  the  gospel  among  the  heathen.  Nearly  all  their  officers  were 
killed,  half  the  men  incapacitated  by  sickness  and  wounds,  while  the 
war-ship  which  carried  the  expedition  was  so  shattered  that  it  was 
able  to  get  only  as  far  as  Cebu  on  the  return  journey. 

From  this  time  on,  the  Sulu  pirates  carried  their  daring  incur 
sions  throughout  the  waters  of  the  archipelago,  hardly  interrupted 
until  English  men-of-war  suppressed  the  evil  in  the  prenent  century. 
Their  pirate  craft  frequently  sailed  into  the  neighborhoc  J  oi  the  city 
of  Manila  and  actually  captured  trading  vessels  within  4ight  of  the 


234      StJLtJ  AND  MIXDAXAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS. 

peninsula  of  Cavite.  At  one  time  the  Sulu  pirates  held  Bohol,  Cebu, 
Negros,  Leyte  and  even  a  part  of  Panay  under  tribute.  When  com 
munities  refused  to  pay  tribute  they  were  attacked  by  these  daring 
invaders,  their  men  slain,  their  houses  burned,  their  property  looted, 
and  their  wives  and  daughters  taken  as  slaves  away  to  the  south. 

Attempts  to  Suppress  Pirates. 

Undoubtedly  the  Madrid  government  did  the  best  it  could  under 
the  circumstances.  It  appropriated  large  sums  of  money  for  men-of- 
war,  forts,  weapons  and  ammunition,  and  directed  the  Philippine  of 
ficials  to  exterminate  the  piratical  communities.  But  the  money  was 
diverted  into  the  pockets  of  colonial  office-holders.  Thousands  of  in 
offensive  natives  were  slaughtered  in  the  wars,  while  the  governors 
wrote  home  accounts  of  imaginary  victories  and  glowing  descriptions 
of  the  blessings  of  peace.  At  the  end  of  their  terms  they  came  back 
rich  for  life. 

The  most  pretentious  effort  made  by  the  Spanish  to  terminate 
the  constant  warfare  between  Spain  and  Sulu  was  the  establishment 
of  a  settlement  at  Zamboanga,  at  the  extreme  southeast  point  of  Min 
danao.  Here  they  built  a  walled  city,  constructed  strong  forts  and 
made  it  a  naval  station  and  arsenal  second  only  to  Cavite.  Directly 
opposite  Basilan,  and  in  such  close  proximity  to  the  Sulu  archipelago, 
it  provided  a  fine  base  of  operations,  offensive  and  defensive.  But  so 
little  care  was  taken  of  the  sanitation  of  the  place  that  it  soon  became 
known  as  the  sepulchre  of  Spain.  The  absence  of  sewerage  and  sanita 
tion,  combined  with  the  heat  and  moisture,  developed  malarial  dis 
eases  whose  deadliness  astonished  even  the  Spaniards.  Of  one  garrison 
of  a  thousand  men,  850  died  in  a  single  year. 

In  1750  the  governor-general  of  the  Philippines  sent  a  large  expe 
dition  from  Manila  to  attack  Sulu,  but  the  fleet  returned  to  Zam 
boanga  having  accomplished  nothing.  The  islands  were  continually 
ravaged  by  the  Mohammedan  sultan.  At  last,  in  1770,  there  was  a 
tacit  agreement  for  peace  between  Sulu  and  Spain,  because  both  par 
ties  were  exhausted  with  warfare.  From  that  time  until  1851  pirates 
occasionally  ravaged  Spanish  cities  and  Spanish  gunboats  destroyed 
Sulu  craft,  but  nothing  amounting  to  war  occurred. 


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SULU   AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE   MOROS.       237 


A  Temporary  Peace  Declared. 

In  the  latter  year  troubles  began  again  and  for  twenty-five  years 
affairs  got  more  and  more  intolerable.  The  bold  ravages  of  the  sultan 
throughout  the  archipelago  compelled  another  Spanish  expedition  in 
1870,  which  destroyed  several  forts  and  killed  man}7  natives,  but  lost 
more  men  than  it  destroyed.  Nevertheless,  it  brought  about  a  tem 
porary  peace.  The  sultan  admitted  the  sovereignty  of  Spain  over 
the  Sulu  domain  and  Spain  induced  Great  Britain  and  Germany  to 
sign  a  protocol  recognizing  the  treaty.  In  1S80  a  British  company 
colonized  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Borneo,  recognizing  the  suzerainty 
of  the  sultan  of  Sulu.  Spain  made  a  vigorous  protest,  but  the  British 
government  decided  in  favor  of  the  sultan.  After  some  negotiations, 
Spain  gave  up  all  claim  to  land  in  Borneo  belonging  to  the  Sulu  sul 
tanate. 

In  1887  insurrection  again  broke  out  in  the  islands  and  in  Min 
danao  itself.  The  Spanish  government  sent  its  fleet  at  post  haste  to 
the  seat  of  disorder  and  also  forwarded  re-enforcements  for  the  vari 
ous  garrisons  which  had  been  established  in  the  enemy's  country.  A 
few  months  after  this  insurrection  was  put  down  another  broke  out. 
In  1888,  however,  comparative  peace  was  established  throughout  the 
Sulu  archipelago  and  since  that  time  the  Spaniards  have  been  in  legal 
possession  of  the  country.  They  have  ten  garrisons  scattered 
at  different  points  throughout  the  islands.  Outside  of  the  coasts  they 
have  no  authority  nor  power  whatever.  The  sultan  of  Sulu  rules  the 
same  as  ever,  and  the  native,  not  Spanish,  laws  are  observed.  The 
population  of  the  group  is  estimated  at  150,000,  but  that  is  probably 
less  rather  than  greater  than  the  actual  population.  As  a  matter  of 
English  law,  the  sultan  of  Sulu  exercises  sovereignty  of  a  qualified 
sort  over  several  Borneo  sultans.  According  to  Spanish  law,  he  exercises 
some  feudal  authority  over  the  chiefs  of  Palawan,  a  large  Mohamme 
dan  sultanate  in  Mindanao,  and  over  several  small  tribes  on  that 
island  and  the  island  of  Basilan.  Nevertheless,  they  have  done  what 
they  could  to  reduce  the  authority  to  a  minimum,  regretting  every 
point  that  they  have  been  compelled  to  yield  to  his  influence. 


238        SULU  AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS. 


A  Royalist  with  Republican  Tendencies. 


The  history  of  General  Arolas  is  a  remarkable  one.  As  Spanish 
governor  in  charge  of  the  situation  in  Sulu,  he  did  all  and  more  than 
could  be  expected  of  him.  He  was  a  man  of  sound  conviction  and 
always  ready  to  speak  the  truth.  He  has  told  American  callers  in  Sulu 
of  his  warm  admiration  for  the  United  States  as  a  type  of  what  a 
republic  should  be,  adding  that  if  he  were  not  a  Spaniard  he  would 
be  an  American.  In  the  days  when  the  republican  party  triumphed 
in  Spain,  Arolas  is  said  to  have  cast  the  royal  throne  out  of  a  window 
writh  his  own  hands  in  order  to  show  his  respect  for  its  former  occu 
pants.  After  the  fall  of  the  Spanish  republic,  he  continued  to  display 
what  was  considered  unseemly  activity,  and  there  seems  little  doubt 
that  when  he  was  honored  with  an  appointment  as  governor  of  Sulu, 
it  was  with  the  intention  of  exiling  him. 

In  undertaking  the  governorship,  he  found  the  town  in  a  bad  con 
dition,  so  far  as  health  was  concerned,  the  defenses  were  inadequate 
and  the  garrison  in  constant  danger  of  annihilation.  He  compelled 
the  Moros  to  work  and  made  the  defenses  impregnable.  He  improved 
the  sanitary  condition  of  the  town,  changing  it  from  a  fever  center  to  an 
unusually  healthful  place.  He  established  the  free  school  system,  built 
a  hospital,  a  good  market  and  water  works.  Through  his  influence  the 
Sulus  soon  became  the  wonder  of  the  far-off  islands.  Later  on  he 
attacked  the  Sultans  and  succeeded  in  defeating  the  Moros.  The  Sultan 
made  every  effort  to  escape  and  finally  succeeded  in  doing  so.  His  most 
important  chiefs,  however,  were  killed,  their  heavy  guns  were  taken 
and  the  fortifications  were  pretty  much  destroyed.  The  new  governor 
followed  up  his  advantage,  and  attack  succeeded  attack,  until  the 
Moslems  were  subdued  as  never  before.  As  Arolas  escaped  unharmed 
from  many  perils,  the  Moros  looked  upon  him  as  one  who  bore  a 
charmed  life.  They  had  the  greatest  respect  for  him,  for  he  was  always 
just,  but  without  mercy. 

Fortunately  the  Suluanos  had  met  a  man  they  could  not  master. 
They  realized  this  to  the  full  extent,  and  after  a  little  gave  up  the 
idea  of  having  their  own  way. 


SULU   AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS.       239 


An  Unpopular  Decree. 

In  1892  Governor  Arolas  returned  to  Spain  and  his  successor 
proved  to  be  by  no  means  as  capable,  although  he  did  not  have  long 
to  prove  his  ability.  Finding  things  apparently  quiet,  he  decided  to 
require  the  Moros  to  pay  taxes  and  issued  a  decree  to  that  effect.  The 
sultan  himself,  with  a  band  of  his  men,  presented  themselves  armed, 
offering  to  yield  to  the  order.  The  sultan  came  forward,  presented  the 
governor  with  a  bag  of  pearls,  and  then,  suddenly  drawing  a  barong, 
split  the  Spaniard's  skull  to  his  teeth.  The  Moros  fell  on  the  sur 
prised  soldiers  and  won  a  complete  victory.  But  two  or  three  of  the 
Spanish  soldiers  escaped  by  hiding  in  a  subterranean  passage.  The 
town  was  destroyed  by  the  Moros. 

The  second  island  of  the  Sulu  group  in  importance  and  population 
is  Tawi  Tawi,  which  is  inhabited  by  piratical,  slave-hunting  Moros. 
It  is  not  strange  that  little  is  known  to  civilization  about  the  character 
istics  of  the  islands  of  this  archipelago  when  danger  lurks  at  every 
hand.  ITowever,  it  is  known  that  Tawi  Tawi  is  covered  from  end  to 
end  with  forest.  In  the  old  days  when  slaves  were  more  numerous  in 
the  Sulu  islands,  the  virgin  forest  was  cleared  from  a  large  area  near 
the  towns  and  fruit  trees  were  planted  in  its  place.  The  result  is  that 
the  forests  near  the  settlements  are  composed  almost  entirely  of  trees 
which  produce  edible  fruits.  Wild  hogs  are  abundant  likewise,  for 
there  is  almost  no  one  to  hunt  them,  and,  with  plenty  of  food  and  little 
molestation,  they  have  multiplied  astonishingly. 

Where  the  Slave  Trade  Flourishes. 

The  surface  of  Tawi  Tawi  is  uneven,  but  the  hills,  though  steep, 
are  low  and  of  quite  uniform  height.  Near  the  center  a  precipitous 
mountain  rises  to  an  elevation  of  some  2,000  feet.  The  slave  business 
still  flourishes  in  Tawi  Tawi  and  to  some  extent  in  the  other  Sulu 
islands,  although  not  so  much  as  here.  Girls  of  fifteen  years  are  valued 
at  about  five  bushels  of  rice.  The  slave  dealers  of  Tawi  Tawi  are  said 
to  have  no  difficulty  in  selling  all  the  able-bodied  men  they  can  cap 
ture  to  the  Dutch  planters  in  Borneo. 

The  subjugation  and  possession  of  the  Sulu  archipelago  will  pro- 


240        SULU  AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS. 

vide  much  interesting  and  energetic  labor  for  the  United  States.  It  is 
to  be  doubted  if  even  the  most  persistent  office-seekers  will  make  stren 
uous  effort  to  obtain  appointment  to  authority  there,  under  the  con 
ditions  that  they  will  have  to  meet.  The  Mohammedan  Moro  of  the 
Sulu  sultanate  seems  to  value  life  not  at  all,  and  to  be  quite  willing  at 
any  time  to  die  if  in  the  process  he  can  take  the  life  of  two-  or  three 
Christians  into  eternity  with  him.  Politically  and  geographically  this 
group  must  go  with  the  Philippine  archipelago  itself,but  it  will  be  the 
most  puzzling  part  of  the  possession  to  govern.  The  Sulu  Mohamme 
dans  of  Borneo  have  given  no  trouble  to  the  British  who  hold  the  sover 
eignty,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  they  have  been  treated  with  great 
tact  and  caution  by  their  British  rulers.  The  authorities  let  them  alone 
in  their  religious  views  and  advise  the  missionaries  to  use  all  possible 
tact  in  their  endeavors  to  introduce  Christianity.  It  is  difficult  to  dis 
cover  any  middle  ground  in  the  methods  of  governing  these  peoples 
between  the  English  system  in  effect  in  India,,  of  leaving  the  natives 
in  full  liberty  to  practice  all  customs  and  religious  observances  which 
do  not  conflict  with  life  and  human  safety,  and  the  energetic  policy  of 
General  Arolas  of  exterminating  every  one  in  reach,  at  the  first  sign 
of  irritation  or  disagreement 


The  Least  Known  Island  of  the  Group. 

Mindanao,  the  largest  island  of  the  Philippine  archipelago  except 
Luzon,  and  the  most  southerly  except  the  Sulu  group,  has  been  the 
least  explored  by  the  Spanish  and  the  slowest  to  subjugate,  in  spite  of 
the  great  loss  of  life  and  effort  that  have  been  expended  in  the  attempt. 
The  island  has  an  area  of  37,500  square  miles.  Its  savage  peoples,  high 
mountains  and  dense  forests  have  made  exploration  difficult,  and  until 
within  a  short  time  little  has  been  known  of  its  interior. 

Of  all  the  numerous  monastic  orders  the  Jesuit  Fathers  have  ren 
dered  more  real  service  to  science  in  the  Philippines  probably  than  all 
the  others  combined.  In  Mindanao  their  industrious  and  intelligent 
researches  have  given  to  the  world  practically  the  only  tangible  data 
in  the  shape  of  reports  and  maps  in  existence.  The  Jesuits  report 
twenty-four  tribes  of  people,  each  distinct  in  its  own  dialect,  as  well 
as  other  tribes.  Nearly  three-fourths  of  the  tribes  of  Malay  origin  are 


SULU  AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS.        241 

Pagans  and  the  balance  Moros  (Mohammedans).  The  Visayana  are 
adherents  to  the  Catholic  missions,  but  they  are  comparatively  few  in 
number.  They  have  intermarried  to  some  extent  with  the  Malays, 
which  means  that  the  latter,  either  a  Pagan  or  a  Mohammedan,  must 
become  a  Christian  before  the  priest  will  perform  such  marriage  cere 
mony.  This  has  sometimes  brought  on  much  trouble  with  the  Moro 
warriors,  and  they  are  the  most  dreaded  of  all  the  tribes  in  Mindanao. 
The  Moros  inhabit  the  southern  end  of  Mindanao,  and  have  followed 
the  most  desperate  piracy,  which  was  pretty  well  broken  up,  along 
the  coast,  at  least,  by  the  drastic  measures  of  the  Spanish  army  and 
navy.  In  the  interior,  however,  Spanish1  authority  has  been  ineffective, 
and  they  have  been  able  to  control  but  a  comparatively  small  area. 
Theoretically,  Mindanao  has  been  districted  into  five  provinces  by  the 
Spanish,  but  in  reality  they  have  materialized  on  paper  only. 

One  of  Weyler's  Undertakings. 

It  was  General  Weyler  who  sought  to  make  a  record  with  his  gov 
ernment  by  conquering  the  fierce  Moros  in  Mindanao.  Accordingly  he 
sent  all  the  available  Spanish  troops  as  a  conquering  or  an  extermin 
ating  expedition  against  them.  Their  arrival  in  Mindanao  had  no  more 
than  been  announced  until  the  victories  reported  against  the  savages 
that  had  puzzled  Spain  so  long  were  made  the  occasions  of  great  cele^ 
brations  at  Manila  and  the  subject  of  much  rejoicing  among  the  people 
of  Spain.  But  this  kind  of  victories  has  been  Spain's  wont.  They  never 
made  the  least  impression  on  the  Moros  on  the  roadless  and  almost 
pathless  interior  of  Mindanao.  The  sickness  and  mortality  among  the 
Spanish  soldiers,  sent  there  for  service  away  from  the  principal  coastal 
points,  has  always  been  appalling. 

A  Fertile  Island. 

While  Mindanao  is  much  less  developed  than  Luzon  and  a  number 
of  other  islands,  principally  because  of  these  savages,  enough  is  known 
of  its  resources  to  class  it  as  one  of  the  very  richest  in  its  fertile  river 
valleys  and  numerous  lake  regions.  Its  forests  contain  the  most  valu- 


242        SULU  AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS. 

able  commercial  timber,  and  great  mineral  wealth  is  known  to  exist. 
Gold  is  mined  in  paying  quantities  and  only  awaits  the  introduction  of 
modern  methods  to  yield  results  of  the  largest  scale.  The  sea  around 
Mindanao,  especially  to  its  west,  is  noted  for  its  placid  waters.  The 
scenery  of  the  island,  with  its  tropical  foliage,  makes  it  a  fairyland. 

The  name  of  Mindanao  signifies  "man  of  the  lake,"  the  natives 
explaining  that  the  name  was  given  because  the  island  is  so  well 
watered.  Its  river  and  lake  systems  are  even  more  important  than 
those  of  Luzon.  The  largest  river,  the  Buluan,  which  rises  near  the 
southeastern  extremity  of  the  island,  runs  north  through  a  great  valley 
of  remarkable  fertility,  traversing  the  whole  island  and  flowing  into 
the  seat  that  bounds  the  north  shore.  The  Rio  Grande,  on  the  other 
hand,  rises  near  the  north  coast  and  flows  south  and  west,  while  there 
are  other  rivers  of  lesser  importance.  Both  of  the  rivers  named  have 
their  sources  and  tributaries  in  large  lakes  and  there  are  many  others 
which  find  an  exit  to  the  sea  by  smaller  streams. 

The  forests  of  the  islands  are  of  great  extent,  the  splendid  trees 
including  many  of  great  commercial  value.  Beside  the  valuable 
products  of  the  forest  which  Mindanao  has  in  common  with  most  of  the 
other  islands,  gutta  percha  is  abundant  in  certain  localities. 


Beautiful  Vales  and  Lofty  Mountains. 

The  scenery  of  Mindanao  is  notably  fine.  There  are  several  moun 
tain  chains  separating  the  river  valleys,  and  the  peaks  include  a  number 
of  active  volcanoes.  The  most  famous  of  these  is  Mount  Apo  near 
the  port  of  Devao  on  the  south  coast.  The  summit  of  this  volcano  rises 
to  a  height  of  nearly  9,000  feet.  Extinct  volcanoes  are  numerous. 

A  glance  at  the  map  shows  Zamboanga  to  be  on  the  extreme  end  of 
the  long,  narrow  arm  of  Mindanao  that  extends  far  to  the  southwest, 
almost  to  Basil  an. 

Basilan  channel  separates  the  island  of  the  same  name  from  the 
town  of  Zamboanga.  Through  this  channel  the  three  steamship  lines 
which  ply  between  Sydney,  N.  S.  W.  (Australia),  and  Japan  have  their 
course.  A  trip  through  this  always  perfectly  smooth  channel  reveals 
to  the  traveler  a  perfectly  fascinating  dreamland.  These  ships  pass 


SULU  AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS.        243 

within  half  a  mile  of  Zaniboanga,  but  do  not  make  it  a  port  of  call 
because  of  the  unreasonable  harbor  restrictions  of  the  Spanish. 

It  has  a  population  of  10,000,  and  should  be  an  important  shipping- 
city,  and  no  doubt  steamship  lines  will  welcome  liberal  harbor  regu 
lations. 

Around  Zamboanga  the  Spanish  have  been  able  to  extend  their 
authority,  but  this  is  only  a  long,  narrow  strip  a  long  way  from  the 
main  part  of  the  island. 

Zamboanga,  like  all  the  towns  in  the  Philippines,  runs  strongly 
to  pretentious  church  edifices,  commodious  houses  for  the  priests  and 
the  tribunal,  the  latter  being  the  municipal  or  town  building. 

Each  public  building  contains  a  bulletin  board  on  which  the  local 
market  quotations  for  produce  is  posted.  The  prices  for  livery  and  mes 
senger  services  for  the  first  hour  and  each  subsequent  one  is  also  posted 
here.  It  also  serves  as  an  inn  for  the  weary  traveler,  a  barracks  for  the 
troops  and  a  lock-up  or  jail.  Prisoners  may  be  punished  here  in  the 
stocks. 


Picturesque  Village  Life. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Zamboanga  are  villages  of  decent  civilized 
natives,  resting  content  under  the  alien  authority.  Such  villages  are 
picturesque  and  interesting  to  the  traveler,  although  they  offer  no 
accommodations  for  one  who  is  exacting.  Every  such  village  has  a 
church,  which  is  the  most  pretentious  edifice  in  the  place,  a  house  for 
the  priest,  and  an  institution  of  the  islands  known  as.  the  tribunal. 
This  is  a  sort  of  town-hall  where  the  head  men  of  the  village  meet  to 
transact  business.  It  contains  a  pair  of  stocks  or  some  other  contriv 
ance  for  the  detention  of  prisoners.  When  troops  are  quartered  there, 
the  place  is^used  as  a  barracks,  and  most  important  of  all  to  the 
stranger,  any  traveler  who  chooses  to  do  so  has  a  right  to  put  up  there. 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Zamboanga  is  an  excellent  place  to 
observe  the  manners  of  life  of  the  civilized  natives  and  the  relation 
ship  they  have  held  to  the  Spanish  authorities  of  the  Philippines.  The 
native  houses  there  are  like  those  of  the  poorer  civilized  natives 
throughout  the  archipelago. 


244        SULU  AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS. 

In  the  construction  of  native  houses  throughout  the  Philippines 
nails,  screws  or  wooden  pins  are  not  used.  Bamboo  is  the  beginning 
and  end  of  the  framework  of  every  house,  and  this  is  tied  together 
with  strips  of  rattan.  Heavy  poles  of  bamboo  rest  on  the  ground,  and 
a  bamboo  ladder  is  used  to  climb  up  the  several  feet  from  the  ground 
to  the  "ground  floor."  Underneath  this  chickens,  pigs  and  dogs  may 
find  shelter.  The  structure  is  "boarded"  and  shingled  with  Nipa  palm. 
The  floors  are  made  from  bamboo  poles  split  in  half  with  the  rounded 
side  up.  This  leaves  cracks  in  some  places  wide  enough  to  stick  one's 
fingers  through.  Usually  the  house  consists  of  but  one  room  occupied 
by  a  large  family  for  cooking,  eating  and  sleeping. 

This  style  of  house  is  as  safe  as  a  tent  would  be  in  the  event  of  an 
earthquake,  a  cyclone  or  a  typhoon. 

But  Mindanao,  as  stated  heretofore,  is  too  far  south  to  be  within 
the  range  of  typhoons. 

These  primitive  houses,  on  account  of  being  so  open,  not  only  in 
the  floor,  but  on  all  sides,  are  infinitely  cooler  than  the  residences  of 
the  wealthier  Filipinos,  who,  regardless  of  earthquakes  and  storms, 
build  their  houses  of  boards,  with  a  galvanized  iron  roof,  on  a  stone 
foundation. 


Native  Systems  of  Government. 


If  it  has  been  interesting  to  study  the  native  government  under 
Spanish  rule,  it  wTill  certainly  be  more  interesting  to  us  to  compare  the 
American  methods  that  must  now  be  inaugurated  to  the  former  govern 
ment.  What  corresponds  to  our  mayors  in  American  towns  are  known 
in  the  Philippines  as  captains.  Their  headquarters  are  at  the  tribunal, 
and  they  are  responsible  to  the  governors  of  the  province^in  which  they 
are  located  and  make  their  reports  to  him.  This  towrn  ruler  is  known 
as  a  gobernadorcillo,  or  "little  governor."  The  towns'  people  look  upon 
him  as  a  person  who  has  had  very  high  honors  bestowed  upon  him. 

The  gobernadorcillo  is  the  tax-collector  for  his  town,  and  is  per 
sonally  responsible  for  all  taxes,  including  the  "cedilla"  or  head  tax 
from  every  male.  All  petty  cases  in  dispute  are  settled  by  him.  He 
is  expected  to  entertain  visiting  Spanish  officials,  and  as  a  means  of 


SULU  AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS.        245 
holding  their  friendship  and  influence,  obliged  to  make  them  presents. 

Salaries  of  Local  Officials. 

When  it  is  explained  that  his  salary  is  two  pesos  (one  United  States 
dollar)  a  year  the  reader  must  infer  that  the  officeholder  is  either  a  man 
of  wealth  or  forced  to  be  corrupt. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  writing  to  be  done  at  the  tribunal,  and,  as 
the  allowance  for  clerk-hire  is  usually  utterly  insufficient,  the  gobernador- 
cillo  must  make  up  the  difference.  In  return  he  is  allowed  a  salary  of 
two  dollars  per  month,  and  is  permitted  to  carry  a  cane! 

It  is  indeed  often  the  case  of  the  office  seeking  the  man  rather  than 
the  opposite,  as  we  understand  it  so  well  in  the  United  States.  The 
office  is  elective,  and  the  aim  is  to  secure  a  man  of  means.  He  looks 
upon  the  place  as  involving  a  great  expense  and  greater  responsibility 
—as  much  against  his  will  as  it  is  to  serve  on  a  jury  in  our  country— 
but  he  is  compelled  to  serve. 

For  the  purpose  of  systematizing  the  collection  of  the  "cedula"  and 
other  taxes  neighborhoods  are  grouped  together  and  the  names  of  some 
fifty  families  are  given  to  the  proper  official,  known  as  a  "cabeza  de 
Baraugay."  This  officer  is  held  personally  responsible  for  the  imme 
diate  payment  of  an  amount  representing  the  total  tax  assessed  against 
the  group  in  his  charge.  No  explanation  and  nothing  but  the  full 
amount  of  money  will  answer,  whether  the  people  have  paid  him  or  not. 

If  he  is  a  "hustler,"  he  may  have  been  able  to  overcharge  several, 
and  with  those  who  could  not  pay  him  for  the  entire  year  at  once  he 
would  arrange  to  accept  the  amounts  in  monthly  payments,  in  this  way 
getting  many  times  the  amount  actually  due.  The  difference  he  pockets 
for  himself.  The  "cabeza  de  Baraugay"  has  the  power  to  send  the  delin 
quent  taxpayer  to  jail,  so  his  payments  are  apt  to  be  prompt. 

The  officer  has  what  might  be  called  deputies  in  his  "ministry."  It 
consists  of  two  tenientes,  who  take  his  place  during  his  absence,  depend 
ing  upon  the  size  of  the  town,  and  one  or  more  others,  who  act  as  chief 
of  police  and  patrol  the  outlying  districts. 

Owing  to  the  danger  of  a  town  being  pounced  upon  at  any  time  of 
the  day  or  night  by  the  pirates  and  bandits  who  infested  Mindanao  and 
other  islands  near  it,  a  squad  of  cuadrillers  (police)  are  always  on  duty 
at  every  village  ready  to  defend  it. 


246        SULU  AND  MINDANAO,  THE  HOME  OF  THE  MOROS. 


The  Responsibilities  of  Office. 

Men  who  have  enjoyed  the  honor  of  an  election  as  teniente  or 
gobernadorcillo  or  a  "cabeza  de  Baraugay"  of  ten  years'  service  are 
looked  upon  as  the  wise  men  and  advisers  of  the  community.  These, 
together  with  the  priests,  comprise  a  sort  of  town  committee  and  have 
stated  meetings  at  which  all  matters  of  public  interest  are  discussed. 
These  meetings  are  held  at  the  tribunal.  On  Sunday  morning  at  an 
early  hour  they  meet  at  the  same  place,  and,  forming  into  a  procession, 
headed  by  the  gobernadorcillo,  they  parade  the  streets,  stirring  the 
people  with  the  lively  airs  of  the  village  brass  band.  In  this  manner 
they  escort  the  friar  (missionary  priest)  and  file  into  the  church,  the 
populace  following. 

On  dress  occasions  these  town  leaders  make  quite  a  picturesque 
appearance.  They  do  not  believe  in  hiding  the  great  length  of  the  shirt 
under  the  pantaloons,  even  on  "state*'  occasions,  for  it  is  worn  outside. 
The  shirt  is  white  and  reaches  almost  to  the  knees.  At  the  waist  a 
closely  fitting  affair  no  longer  than  a  vest  is  fastened  around  the  loosely 
hanging  shirt,  which  puffs  out  below.  To  the  native  this  dress  is  the 
height  of  fashion,  and  they  are  not  troubled  about  looking  to  Paris  for 
the  "styles." 

The  hospitality  of  the  South  may  be  applied  to  the  South  of  the 
Philippines  as  well  as  to  the  South  of  our  own  country,  for  many  of 
the  natives  met  by  the  traveler  in  Mindanao  are  extremely  hospitable 
and  friendly.  They  will  share  the  last  they  have  to  eat  wTith  the 
stranger,  and  produce  the  best  they  have,  borrowing  from  the  neigh 
bors,  if  necessary,  to  do  all  the  honor  they  can  to  the  visitor  among 
them. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 
THE  FILIPINOS  AND   THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS. 

Savage  Tribes  in  the  Islands — The  Original  Inhabitants — The  Commencement 
of  the  Insurrections — Native  Weapons  and  How  They  are  Used — 
Picturesque  Dress  of  Men  and  Women — Religious  Ceremonies — Beliefs 
of  the  Moros — Some  Civilized  Characteristics — A  Tribe  of  Head 
Hunters — How  Some  of  the  Natives  Live. 

Inhabiting  the  Philippine  islands  are  at  least  eighty  distinct  and 
separate  tribes  of  people,  which  in  a  broad  classification  may  be  grouped 
as  Negritos,  Mohammedan  Malays,  Pagan  Malays  and  civilized  Malays. 
Many  of  these  tribes  are  virtually  unknown  to  explorers,  and  are  still  in 
a  state  of  barbarism,  unimpressed  by  any  mark  of  civilization.  The 
population  of  these  islands  is  unknown,  and  there  are  no  means  by 
which  a  close  estimate  may  be  made,  as  even  in  those  districts  where 
the  Spanish  authorities  had  complete  control  of  the  affairs  of  state 
the  census  returns  were  notoriously  unreliable.  But  it  is  probable  that 
the  entire  archipelago  contains  between  eight  and  ten  millions  of 
people. 

The  original  population  of  the  Philippines  was  the  tribe  known  as 
Negritos.  These  aboriginals  are  at  the  bottom  of  the  scale  in  mental 
ity  and  in  physique,  little  black  fellows,  who  are  rapidly  disappearing 
and  seem  destined  to  speedy  extinction.  The  best  judges  of  island  char 
acter  declare  them  to  be  incapable  of  civilization,  a  fact  which  lessens 
the  regret  that  they  are  vanishing.  The  largest  number  of  them  re 
maining  are  in  the  islands  of  Mindanao  and  Negros,  where  they  people 
the  splendid  forests  clothing  the  mountain  slopes.  There  are  also  a 
few  of  the  Negritos  left  in  Mariveles  mountain,  near  the  mouth  of  Ma 
nila  bay  on  the  island  of  Luzon,  while  in  the  vicinity  of  Cape  Engano, 
at  the  northeastern  extremity  of  the  same  island,  they  are  still  quite 
numerous.  Even  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish  conquest  the  Negritos 
were  becoming  decimated  by  their  conflict  with  the  Malay  invaders. 
Now  they  have  become  a  wretched,  sickly  race  of  almost  dw-arfl 

247 


248  THE  FILIPINOS  AND  THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS. 

stature.  Although  not  of  the  African  type,  their  hair  is  curly,  their 
skins  black  and  their  features  coarse  and  repulsive.  Agriculture  is  little 
practiced  by  them,  but  they  depend  for  food  upon  the  products  of  the 
forest  and  upon  the  game  which  falls  before  their  poisoned  arrows. 

The  Moros,  or  Mohammedan  Malays,  are  chiefly  confined  to  the 
islands  of  Mindanao,  Palawan,  Basilan,  Sulu,  Tawi  Tawi  and  Mindoro, 
The  Moros  have  played  a  very  important  part  in  the  history  of  the 
Philippines.  They  were  a  people  of  Borneo,  who  arrived  in  the  archi 
pelago  just  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish  discoverer.  Landing  first  in 
Basilan,  they  spread  rapidly  over  the  small  islands  of  the  Sulu  and 
Tawi  Tawi  groups,  eventually  occupying  the  wThole  coast  of  Mindanao, 
the  southern  third  of  Palawan  and  the  small  islands  adjacent.  Before 
they  had  completely  overrun  Palawan,  they  were  interrupted  by  the 
Spanish  troops  in  their  own  conquest  and  since  then  they  have  not  been 
able  to  advance  their  settlements. 

The   Commencement  of  the  War. 

The  first  encounter  betwreen  the  Spaniards  and  the  Moros  resulted 
from  an  unprovoked  attack  made  by  the  European  traders  upon  one  of 
the  Moro  chiefs  of  Mindanao.  The  result  was  disastrous  to  the  ag 
gressors,  wrho  were  almost  annihilated.  The  fierce  Moslem  warriors 
returned  the  attack  with  all  the  stimulus  of  their  fanatical  passions. 
They  raided  the  Spanish  and  native  coast  towrns  of  the  central  and 
northern  islands  with  annual  piratical  expeditions,  meeting  with  great 
success  and  taking  thousands  of  captives  and  rich  treasure.  For  more 
than  250  years  these  foraj-s  continued,  while  in  every  village  watch- 
tower  in  the  northern  islands  there  wras  constant  vigilance  by  the  sen 
tries  who  watched  for  the  approach  of  the  Moro  fleets.  The  success  of 
the  raiders  was  continued.  Not  only  were  natives  enslaved  by  thou 
sands,  but  Spanish  planters,  government  officials  and  priests  were 
killed  or  held  for  ransom. 

The  history  of  the  Philippine  islands  is  largely  the  history  of  the 
wars  between  Spanish  and  Moro  forces.  Of  course,  the  Spaniards 
could  not  submit  tamely  to  such  an  intolerable  state  of  affairs.  Expe 
dition  after  expedition  was  sent  against  the  Mohammedan  forces,  and 
with  great  expense  of  money  and  life  a  few  temporary  successes  were 
gained.  Garrisons  were  established  even  in  Sulu,  only  to  be  massacred 


THE  FILIPINOS   AND   THEIR   CHARACTERISTICS.  249 

or  driven  from  the  islands.  Finally,  with  the  improvement  in  fire-arms 
accessible  to  the  Spanish  forces,  and  the  construction  of  light-draft 
steam  gunboats  and  rapid-fire  guns,  the  Spaniards  gained  an  advantage 
which  could  not  be  overcome  and  piracy  was  reduced  to  a  minimum. 
Gunboats  patroled  the  islands  in  every  channel.  No  Moro  craft  was 
permitted  at  sea  except  with  a  written  permit  from  the  nearest  Spanish 
governor.  Any  prau  violating  this  order  was  either  rammed  and  sunk 
by  any  gunboat  meeting  it  or  swept  by  the  fire  of  the  machine-guns,  no 
quarter  ever  being  given.  Then  village  after  village  was  destroyed  by 
shells  from  the  gunboats,  even  the  town  of  Sulu,  which  had  been  the 
residence  of  the  Moro  sultans,  suffering  destruction  in  1876.  A  Spanish 
military  post  was  established  in  its  place.  Other  Moro  strongholds  in 
the  different  islands  were  taken  and  fortified,  the  coast  villages  burned, 
and  the  inhabitants  driven  to  the  hills,  until  finally  by  tacit  agreement 
a  sort  of  armed  truce  began,  which,  with  frequent  interruption,  con 
tinued  for  a  number  of  years. 

A  Difficult  Proposition  in  Government. 

The  sultan  of  Sulu  is  the  ruler  of  all  the  Moros  in  the  Philippines, 
although  his  authority  is  not  very  well  established  in  Mindanao,  where 
there  are  two  subordinate  sultans.  Under  the  sultan  of  Sulu,  the  au 
thority  is  delegated  to  a  regent,  who  acts  during  his  absence;  a  minister 
of  war  and  a  minister  of  justice,  with  a  local  chief  in  each  district 
and  a  mandarin  in  each  village.  The  higher  authorities  in  the  church 
are  the  cherifs,  heredithry  officers  who  have  certain  authority  in  tem 
poral  as  well  as  spiritual  affairs.  Under  them  are  panditas  or  priests, 
who  look  after  the  immediate  spiritual  welfare  of  the  people.  The  Mo 
hammedanism  of  the  Moros  is  hardly  as  well  defined  or  carefully  prac 
ticed  as  that  of  the  Mohammedan  countries  of  Asia.  Their  mosques 
are  built  of  bamboo.  Their  language,  which  is  written  in  Arabic  char 
acters,  is  based  on  Sanskrit  roots. 

Instruments  of  Attack  and  Defense. 

The  Moros  do  not  fail  to  justify  the  reputation  given  them  that  they 
are  among  the  most  ferocious  and  daring  people  of  the  earth  and 
among  the  most  difficult  to  control.  All  the  males  above  sixteen  vears 


250  THE  FILIPINOS  AXI)  THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS. 

of  age  go  armed,  except  those  in  settlements  under  Spanish 
dominion,  where  this  practice  is  prevented.  Their  weapons  are  of 
excellent  steel,  beautifully  finished  and  admirably  adapted  for  the  vio 
lent  use  for  which  they  are  intended.  The  barong,  the  campilan  and  the 
kris  are  those  most  favored.  The  first  is  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  a 
butcher's  cleaver,  with  thick  back  and  thin  edge.  The  strong  and 
skillful  warrior  prides  himself  on  being  able  to  cut  an  opponent  in  half 
if  he  can  get  a  chance  for  a  fair  blow.  The  campilan  is  a  straight-edged, 
two-handed  sword,  with  a  blade  wide  at  the  tip  and  steadily  narrowing 
towards  the  hilt;  it  is  used  only  for  cutting,  for  which  it  is  thorough 
ly  effectual.  The  straight  kris  is  a  narrow-bladed,  bevel-edged  swrord 
used  for  cutting  and  thrusting.  The  serpent  kris,  with  its  wavy,  dou 
ble-edged  blade  is  used  for  thrusting  and  inflicts  a  horrible  wound. 

The  men  are  of  medium  height  and  superb  muscular  development. 
They  dress  in  pantaloons,  waistcoat,  jacket,  sash  and  turban,  all  gaud 
ily  colored  and  showily  embroidered.  Their  pantaloons  are  usually 
skin-tight  below  the  knee  and  loose  above.  The  rank  of  a  Moro  is  in 
dicated  by  the  way  he  ties  his  turban.  Under  all  circumstances  a  Moro 
carries  barong,  kris  or  campilan  thrust  into  his  sash.  If  he  expects 
serious  trouble,  he  has  in  addition  a  shield  of  light  wood  and  a  lance 
with  a  broad,  keen  head.  His  conveniences  for  working  steel  are  of 
the  simplest,  but  the  blades  which  he  produces  are  highly  tempered 
and  often  beautifully  finished.  He  sometimes  wrorks  silver  in  with  the 
steel  or  even  inlays  it  with  gold.  The  hilts  of  his  side-arms  are  of  hard, 
polished  wood  or  ivory  and  are  sometimes  handsomely  carved.  He  is 
crazy  to  get  hold  of  fire-arms,  but  seldom  succeeds,  and  at  any  rate  is 
usually  a  very  bad  marksman. 

How  the  Women  Dress. 

Moro  women  are  exceedingly  fond  of  bright  colors,  scarlet  and 
green  being  their  favorites.  Their  garments  are  a  skin-tight  waist,  a 
baggy  divided-skirt,  and  a  novel  garment  called  the  jabul,  made  by 
sewing  together  the  two  ends  of  a  long  piece  of  cloth.  This  is  draped 
about  the  body  in  various  ways  and  may  be  thrown  over  the  head  to 
keep  off  the  sun.  Moro  children  usually  possess  clothes  like  those  of 
their  elders,  but  they  make  very  little  use  of  them. 

The  men  are  very  skillful  boatmen  and  sailors.     The  boat  that 


THE  FILIPINOS  AND  THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS.  251 

they  use,  the  prau,  is  of  the  type  familiar  among  all  the  islands  of  the 
south  Pacific,  a  frail-looking  affair,  skillfully  carved  out  of  a  log,  with 
outriggers  which  guarantee  its  stability.  They  are  swimmers  of  marvel 
ous  skill  and  their  performances  in  diving  for  pearls  are  almost  incredi 
ble.  Other  than  that,  however,  the  men  consider  it  beneath  their  dignity 
to  engage  in  manual  labor. 

The  Moro  is  a  born  warrior  and  chafes  under  restraint.  He  dis 
dains  to  work  and  expects  his  wants  to  be  supplied  by  his  wives  and 
slaves.  He  gives  much  time  to  the  care  of  his  arms  and  to  perfecting 
himself  in  their  use.  He  tries  to  terrify  an  opponent  by  making  hideous 
faces,  uses  his  shield  very  skillfully,  and  in  battle  is  the  bravest  of  the 
brave.  In-human  cruelty,  however,  is  one  of  his  characteristics,  and  he 
will  cut  down  a  slave  merely  to  try  the  edge  of  a  new  barong. 

An  Unpleasant  Religious  Rite. 

One  unpleasant  phase  of  life  among  the  Moros  has  been  the  system 
by  which  the  orthodox  native  proves  the  merit  of  his  religion.  The 
Moros  believe  that  one  who  takes  the  life  of  a  Christian  thereby  in 
creases  his  chance  of  happiness  in  the  future  life.  The  more  Chris 
tians  killed,  the  brighter  the  prospect  for  the  Moro,  and  if  he  is  only 
fortunate  enough  to  be  himself  killed  while  slaughtering  the  enemies 
of  the  faithful,  he  is  at  once  transported  to  the  seventh  heaven.  From 
time  to  time  it  happens  that  one  of  them  wearies  of  this  life,  and,  de 
siring  to  take  the  shortest  road  to  glory,  he  bathes  in  a  sacred  spring, 
shaves  off  his  eyebrows,  dresses  in  white  and  presents  himself  before  a 
pandita  to  take  solemn  oath  to  die  killing  Christians.  He  then  hides  a 
kris  or  barong  about  his  person  and  seeks  the  nearest  town.  If  he  can 
gain  admission,  he  snatches  his  weapon  from  its  concealment  and  runs 
amuck,  slaying  every  living  being  in  his  path,  until  he  is  finally  him 
self  dispatched.  The  number  of  lives  taken  by  one  of  these  mad  fanatics 
is  sometimes  almost  incredible,  but  he  is  eventually  killed  himself  and 
his  relatives  have  a  celebration  when  the  news  of  his  death  reaches 
them. 

The  religion  of  the  Moros  is  a  modified  Mohammedanism.  They 
believe  that  the  sun,  moon  and  stars  are  the  light  of  God.  There  are 
no  other  worlds  than  this  in  the  universe,  but  there  are  beings  which 
inhabit  the  air  above  us  and  the  earth  beneath  our  feet.  They  worship 


252  THE  FILIPINOS  AND  THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS. 

God  like  ourselves.  There  is  one  God  called  Toohan.  Man 
differs  from  the  brutes  in  his  higher  intelligence  and  in  his  ability  to 
speak.  Animals  have  spirits,  but  they  are  not  like  the  soul  of  man 
and  vanish  into  thin  air  when  death  comes.  The  soul  of  man  lives  for 
ever.  It  enters  his  body  at  the  top  of  his  head  when  he  is  born,  an 
opening  being  left  between  the  bones  of  the  skull  for  that  purpose.  It 
leaves  the  bod}r  at  death  once  more  through  the  skull.  When  one  dies 
his  soul,  according  to  some  panditas,  goes  directly  to  the  place  of  God; 
according  to  others  it  goes  under  the  earth  to  sleep  until  the  last  day. 
A  bad  man's  soul  eventually  goes  to  hell,  which  is  a  place  of  torment 
where  one  is  punished  according  to  his  sins.  If  he  has  talked  too  much 
his  mouth  pains  him;  if  he  has  been  jealous,  cruel  or  treache'rous,  it  is 
his  heart;  if  he  has  been  murderous  or  thievish,  his  hand.  In  the  course 
of  time  every  man's  punishment  is  finished  and  he  goes  to  heaven. 

Some  Tenets  of  the  Moro's  Faith. 

Some  panditas  say  that  one's  punishment  consists  in  misfortune, 
disappointment  and  suffering  here  below,  and  that  atonement  comes 
before  death.  Others  declare  that  the  good  souls  wait  in  the  air  and  the 
evil  ones  in  the  earth,  and  there  is  neither  hell  nor  judgment  until  the 
end  of  the  world.  Then  all  souls,  good  and  bad,  will  be  swept  up  as  by 
a  great  wind  and  carried  to  the  Mount  of  Calvary,  where  the}7  wTill  meet 
Gabriel,  Michael  and  the  Weigher,  who  will  weigh  each  one.  Souls 
heavy  with  sin  wrill  be  sent  down  to  hell.  The  Moros  believe  in  all 
the  Old  Testament  characters  like  "Ibrahim,"  "No,"  "Adam,"  "Mgsa," 
"Sulaiman,"  "Yakub,"  and  others.  They  know  the  outlines  of  the  stories 
of  Adam  and  Eve,  the  flood,  etc.  According  to  them,  Jesus  Christ,  called 
by  the  Moros  Isa,  was  a  man  like  ourselves,  but  great  and  good  and  very 
powerful.  He  was  not  a  son  of  God.  The  Moros  hate  and  kill  the  Chris 
tians  because  they  teach  that  men  could  punish  and  kill  a  son  of  God. 

The  Tagalogs  are  the  people  of  the  Philippines  who  are  likely  to 
come  most  closelv  in  contact  with  Americans  in  the  beginning:  because 

*«  o  o 

it  is  they  who  have  been  most  active  in  the  insurrection  against  the 
Spanish  in  Luzon  around  Manila.  In  the  Philippines  are,  perhaps, 
five  million  civilized  natives,  belonging  for  the  most  part  to  three  tribes, 
the  Tagalogs,  Ilocanos  and  Yisayans.  While  the  tribes  differ  and  there 
are  even  differences  within  the  same  tribe  under  varying  conditions, 


CAPTAIN  CHARLES  V.  GRIDLEY. 

Commander  of  the  Flagship  Olympia.  When  the  fleet  was  ready  to  sail 
from  Hongkong,  Captain  Gridley  was  already  a  dying  man :  but  he 
kept  his  sufferings  to  himself  and  performed  his  duty  until  sent  home 
by  medical  survey  several  weeks  after  the  battle.  He  died  at  Kobi, 
Japan,  June  4,  on  his  way  to  the  United  States. 


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O 


THE  FILIPINOS  AND  THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS.  255 

still  the  civilized  natives  are  sufficiently  similar  to  be  considered  as  a 
single  class  in  looking  toward  the  future  of  the  islands.  The  best 

o  C3 

students  of  the  islanders  believe  that  the  natives  are  naturally  fairly 
intelligent  and  often  most  anxious  for  an  opportunity  to  get  some 
education.  The  fact  that  the  great  mass  of  the  people  are  ignorant 
affords  no  proof  that  they  are  stupid,  for  they  have  been  deliberately 
kept  in  ignorance  from  the  time  of  the  Spanish  discovery  until  now. 

Some  Characteristics  of  Civilization. 

The  moral  obligation  to  tell  the  truth  does  not  weigh  heavily  upon 
the  Filipino.  The  civilized  natives  often  lie  to  conceal  the  most  trivial 
shortcoming,  or  even  without  any  excuse  whatever,  and  the  detection 
of  a  falsehood  brings  no  regret  except  chagrin  that  the  practice  has 
not  been  more  dexterously  carried  out.  The  Filipino  cannot  under 
stand  punishment  for  falsehood,  because  it  is  not  to  his  mind  an  offense. 
For  a  fault  which  he  recognizes,  however,  as  such,  he  will  submit  to 
punishment  without  a  murmur,  and  indeed  he  thinks  more  of  a  master 
who  applies  the  rattan  for  punishment  when  it  is  deserved,  than  of 
one  who  does  not.  On  the  other  hand,  he  is  quick  to  resent  what  he 
considers  to  be  injustice  and  will  bide  his  time  in  silence  until  his 
vengeance  is  certain. 

The  natives  of  the  Philippines  have  not  made  eminent  contribu 
tions  toward  the  advance  of  science,  literature  and  art,  but  that  proves 
little  as  to  their  capacity  under  a  regime  of  development.  Even  as  it  is, 
the  Tagalog  race  has  developed  one  painter  of  merit,  one  author  of 
excellent  ability,  and  some  wood-carvers  who  have  done  admirable  work. 
But  the  average  native,  situated  as  he  is,  could  not  be  expected  to 
make  any  advancement  along  such  lines.  Within  his  own  sphere 
he  is  certainly  ingenious  and  ever  ready  with  a  remedy  for  any  mishap 
that  may  occur. 

The  Filipino  frequently  shows  himself  irresponsible  in  financial 
affairs,  spending  money  that  he  should  save  and  borrowing  wrhat  he  is 
not  likely  to  be  able  to  repay.  On  the  other  hand,  he  seldom  repudiates 
his  debts,  and  if  called  upon  to  meet  them  does  his  best. 

The  charge  that  the  Filipino  is  indolent  does  not  weigh  heavily 
upon  those  who  know  the  conditions.  The  man  who  would  exert  him 
self  unnecessarily  in  such  a  climate,  whether  white  or  native,  would 


256  THE  FILIPINOS  AND  THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS. 

be  subject  to  much  curiosity.  No  one  can  work  there  as  he  would  in 
a  temperate  climate  and  live.  Nature  has  done  so  much  for  her  child 
ren  in  these  islands  that  they  have  no  need  to  labor  hard  in  order 
to  supply  their  few  and  simple  wants.  Spanish  administration  has 
not  been  such  as  to  encourage  the  natives  to  pile  up  money  for  the 
tax-gatherer  and  the  village  friar.  Once  they  are  made  to  realize  new 
wants  of  their  own,  they  will  work  to  satisfy  them.  In  Siquijor,  Bohol 
and  other  islands  where  hard  natural  conditions  make  it  difficult  to  earn 
a  livelihood,  the  people  are  noted  for  their  industry  and  are,  conse 
quently,  in  demand  as  laborers. 

Good  dualities  of  the  Natives. 

It  is  well  to  emphasize  that  the  civilized  Filipino  has  many  good 
qualities  to  offset  his  defects.  He  is  hospitable  to  the  limit  of  his 
means,  and  will  go  to  any  amount  of  trouble  to  accommodate  some 
perfect  stranger  who  has  not  the  slightest  claim  on  him.  Every  village 
has  its  bath  and  the  people  are  notable  for  their  personal  cleanli 
ness.  The  homes  are  well  regulated  and  the  family  life  is  peculiarly 
happy.  The  children  are  orderly,  respectful  and  obedient  to  their 
parents  and  respectful  to  strangers.  Wives  are  allowed  an  amount 
of  liberty  hardly  equaled  in  any  other  eastern  country,  and  they  seldom 
abuse  it.  They  have  their  share  of  the  work  to  do,  but  it  is  a  just  share 
and  they  perform  it  without  question  and  without  grumbling. 

The  civilized  native  is  self-respecting  and  self-restrained  to  a  re 
markable  degree,  patient  under  misfortune  and  forbearing  under 
provocation.  When  he  does  give  way  to  anger,  however,  he  is  as  likely 
as  not  to  become  for  the  moment  a  maniac  and  to  do  some  one  a  fatal 
injury.  He  is  a  kind  father  and  a  dutiful  son.  His  aged  relatives  are 
never  left  in  want,  but  are  brought  to  his  home  to  share  the  best  that 
it  affords  to  the  end  of  their  days.  Among  his  fellows  the  Filipino  is 
genial  and  sociable.  He  loves  to  sing  and  dance.  He  is  a  born  musi 
cian  and  his  performances  upon  the  instruments  at  his  disposal  are 
often  very  remarkable.  He  is  naturally  fearless  and  admires  nothing 
so  much  as  bravery  in  others.  Under  good  officers  he  makes  an  excel 
lent  soldier,  and  he  is  ready  to  fight  to  the  death  for  his  honor  or  his 
home. 


THE  FILIPINOS  AND  THEffi  CHARACTERISTICS.  257 


A  Tribe  of  Head  Hunters. 

Out  of  the  many  wild  tribes  of  the  Philippines  other  than  those 
that  have  been  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  descriptions  of 
the  various  islands,  it  is  necessary  to  mention  here  but  a  few  more, 
the  names  of  which  will  become  familiar  to  American  students  of 
conditions  in  the  Philippines.  The  word  Igorrote,  which  was  originally 
the  name  of  a  single  tribe,  was  extended  to  include  all  the  head-hunt 
ing  tribes  of  Luzon,  and  later  became  almost  synonymous  with  wild, 
so  that  when  one  speaks  of  the  Igorrotes  at  the  present  day  he  re 
fers  to  a  number  of  fierce  hill  tribes  which  differ  widely.  Head 
hunting  is  practiced  by  the  Gaddanes,  but  it  is  for  the  most  part  con 
fined  to  the  season  when  the  fire-tree  is  in  bloom.  It  is  said  to  be 
impossible  for  a  young  man  of  this  tribe  to  find  a  bride  until  he  has 
at.  least  one  head  to  his  credit.  There  are  a  number  of  other  head 
hunting  peoples,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned  the  Altasanes  and 
Apayaos.  Not  all  of  the  wild  peoples  are  warlike,  however,  the  Tingui- 
anes,  for  instance,  being  a  peaceable,  well-disposed  race. 

The  large  island  of  Mindoro,  which  lies  directly  south  of  Manila 
bay,  is  the  island  least  known  in  the  northern  Philippines  and  is  almost 
universally  avoided  by  white  men.  The  natives  frequently  refer  to 
it  significantly  as  the  white  man's  grave.  At  the  present  time  it  is 
celebrated  chiefly  for  the  unsavory  reputation  of  its  people,  the  heavi 
ness  of  its  rainfall  and  the  deadliness  of  the  miasma  in  its  fever-smit 
ten  lowlands. 

Once  Mindoro  was  famous  for  its  splendid  crops  of  rice  and  its 
people  were  peaceable  Tagalogs.  Their  prosperity  attracted  the  atten- 
tiou  of  the  Moros,  who  raided  their  towns.  Then  an  epidemic  exter 
minated  the  buffalos,  leaving  the  natives  without  means  of  tilling  their 
land,  and  cholera  did  the  rest.  Now  the  few  poverty-stricken  villages 
on  the  east  coast,  which  are  supposed  to  be  under  Spanish  protection 
and  control,  amount  to  little.  It  is  unsafe  for  white  men  to  visit  in 
the  villages  on  the  west  coast.  The  once  rich  fields  have  grown  up  to 
forest  land  and  the  island  is  a  rendezvous  for  desperate  criminals  who 
escape  from  the  neighboring  provinces  and  seek  refuge  in  Mindoro, 
where  they  are  safe  from  pursuit. 


258  THE  FILIPINOS  AND  THEIR  CHARACTERISTICS. 


An  Unexplored  Island. 

In  the  interior  of  Mindoro  are  a  number  of  lofty  mountains,  the 
highest  peak  attaining-  an  altitude  of  nearly  0,000  feet.  These  moun 
tains  and  the  adjacent  lowlands  are  clothed  in  magnificent  forests  which 
the  hand  of  man  has  never  disturbed.  Between  the  mountains  and  the 
west  coast  are  extensive  plains  covered  with  high  grass.  East  of 
the  mountains  are  heavily  timbered  lowlands  crossed  by  numerous 
rivers.  There  are  no  maps  nor  charts  of  this  island  sufficiently  accurate 
to  be  of  any  value  to  travelers.  The  rainfall  is  enormous  for  nine 
months  of  the  year,  and  even  during  the  dry  season,  from  March  to 
May,  exploration  in  the  interior  is  frequently  interrupted  by  the  heavy 
rains. 

The  principal  town  of  the  island,  considered  to  be  the  capital,  is 
Calapan,  and  other  settlements  around  the  coast  are  Manganin,  Man- 
salag  and  Naujan.  Calapan  is  on  the  northeast  coast,  opposite  Luzon. 
There  is  no  anchorage  and  the  surf  runs  so  heavily  during  the  autumn 
months  that  steamers  are  often  forced  to  carry  the  mails  by  without 
landing.  The  only  Europeans  at  the  capital  are  the  necessary  officials 
and  a  few  shop-keepers,  while  outside  of  Calapan  half  a  dozen  friars 
form  the  entire  Spanish  population  of  the  island. 

There  is  a  tribe  of  primitive  savages  dwelling  in  Mindoro,  entire!}' 
distinct  from  any  found  elsewhere  in  the  archipelago.  They  are  called 
Mangyans  and  bear  a  very  bad  reputation  for  savagery  to  strangers. 
The  most  exhaustive  exploration  of  Mindoro  was  made  by  Professor 
Worcester,  who  declares  that  the  bad  reputation  of  the  Mangyans  is 
by  no  means  justified.  Instead  of  being  the  dreaded  head-hunters  and 
cannibals  of  whom  such  alarming  reports  are  circulated,  they  proved 
to  be  as  harmless  as  children. 

The  houses  of  the  Mangyans'  are  of  the  crudest  sort,  huts  which 
are  mere  platforms  of  poles  with  shelters  of  leaves  above  them.  Na 
tives  wear  but  little  clothing  and  live  in  the  rudest  fashion  in  the  depth 
of  the  forest.  The  Mangyans  are  found  both  in  the  lowlands  and  in  the 
mountains,  the  mountaineers  being  in  every  way  superior  to  the  low- 
landers.  They  are  physically  well  developed  and  comparatively  free 
from  disease.  Their  noses  are  very  flat.  Their  heads  are  covered 
with  great  shocks  of  black  hair,  often  showing  a  tendency  to  curl.  Pro- 


THE  FILIPINOS  AND  THEIE  CHARACTERISTICS.  259 

fessor  Worcester  reports  that  the  tallest  of  the  men  was  five  feet  and 
one-half  inch  in  height. 

How  Some  of  the  Natives  Live. 

Besides  vegetables  and  grain  they  eat  roots  and  tubers,  as  well 
as  any  birds  they  can  get,  civet-cats,  rats,  monkeys,  snakes,  lizards  and 
fish.  Crocodiles  they  consider  a  great  luxury,  although  they  are  seldom 
able  to  catch  one.  In  hunting  they  use  bows  and  poisoned  arrows,  and 
occasionally  manage  to  bring  down  a  wild  hog.  All  of  the  Mangyans 
who  have  been  questioned,  emphatically  deny  any  belief  in  a  future 
life.  They  do  not  show  the  slightest  evidence  of  idolatry  or  any  wor 
ship  or  religion  of  any  sort  whatsoever.  They  are,  however,  moral  in 
their  personal  relations  and  honest  in  the  extreme.  Professor  Worces 
ter  says:  "On  the  whole,  after  making  somewhat  extensive  observa 
tions  among  the  Philippine  natives,  I  am  inclined  to  formulate  the  law 
that  their  morals  improve  as  the  square  of  the  distance  from  churches 
and  other  so-called  civilizing  influences  increases." 

Mindoro  is  infested  with  many  bandits  known  as  Tulisanes,  who 
hunt  in  parties,  robbing  and  murdering  in  the  boldest  manner,  after 
the  fashion  of  bush-rangers  in  the  earlier  history  of  Australia.  They 
make  travel  in  Mindoro  exceedingly  dangerous.  The  natural  resources 
of  this  island  are  undoubtedly  great,  but  the  combination  of  its  dan 
gerous  Tulisanes  and  its  exceeding  unwholesomeness  makes  it  far 
from  attractive  for  the  American  traveler. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
COMMERCIAL   AND    NATIVE    INDUSTRIES. 

New  Fields  for  American  Enterprise — Where  Rope  is  Made — Needs  of  the 
Hemp  Growers — An  Opportunity  for  Inventors — Magnitude  of  the 
Sugar  Industry — The  Tobacco  Factories  of  Manila — Influence  of  the 
Chinese  in  Industrial  Matters — Window  Panes  Made  From  Shells — 
The  Uses  of  the  Bamboo — Rice  the  Principal  Article  of  Food — How  to 
Reach  the  Islands. 

The  most  notable  and  profitable  industry  of  the  Philippine  islands, 
the  one  that  is  actually  essential  to  the  world's  convenience,  is  the 
production  of  Manila  hemp,  from  which  rope  is  made.  This  archipelago 
has  long  furnished  the  world  with  its  entire  supply  of  the  fiber.  The 
only  attempt  to  produce  hemp  outside  of  the  Philippines  that  has  met 
with  any  success  whatsoever,  is  oue  recently  made  in  North  Borneo,  but 
this  has  not  been  continued  long-  enough  to  affect  the  industry  in  the 
Philippines.  The  product  is  something  enormous.  The  average  num 
ber  of  bales  exported  for  the  years  1888  to  1897  was  051,697,  but  the 
wutput  has  been  steadily  increasing  and  in  1897  it  reached  a  total  of 
825,028  bales. 

Manila  hemp,  known  in  the  Philippines  as  abaca,  is  the  fiber  of  a 
wild  plantain.  Its  plants  so  closely  resemble  those  of  the  edible 
banana  that  only  an  expert  can  distinguish  them.  Abaca  will  not  live 
on  swampy  land,  yet,  as  it  requires  considerable  moisture,  it  must  be 
shaded  by  trees  that  can  resist  the  sun.  The  best  plants  are  grown 
at  a  moderate  elevation,  on  hillsides  from  which  only  the  smaller  forest- 
trees  have  been  cut.  The  best  thus  far  grown  has  been  raised  in  Leyte, 
Marinduque  and  the  districts  of  Sorsogon  and  Gubat  in  Luzon. 

Except  Manila  itself,  the  principal  hemp  ports  are  in  the  central 
and  southern  islands  of  the  archipelago.  Iloilo  is  one  of  some  impor 
tance.  The  greatest,  however,  is  Cebu,  and  others  of  large  commerce 
in  hemp  are  Catbalogan,  on  the  island  of  Samar,  and  Tacloban,  on  the 
island  of  Leyte.  Every  port  among  those  neighboring  islands  finds  its 

260 


COMMERCIAL  AND  NATIVE   INDUSTRIES.  261 

commerce  in  the  hemp  industry.  Surigao,  at  the  northeastern  extrem 
ity  of  Mindanao,  is  not  a  large  port,  but  it  ships  some  of  the  best  hemp 
that  comes  into  the  Manila  market  and  it  is  of  consequent  importance 
in  the  islands. 

How  Hemp  is  Produced. 

The  slender  stem  of  the  wild  plantain  is  enveloped  by  overlapping, 
half-round  petioles,  which  produce  the  fiber.  In  order  to  extract  it 
the  plant  is  cut  and  the  leaf-stems  are  separated  and  allowed  to  wilt 
for  a  short  time.  Each  is  then  drawn  between  a  block  of  wood  and  a 
knife  hinged  to  the  block,  and  provided  with  a  lever  and  treadle  so 
that  it  can  be  firmly  held  down  on  the  stem.  By  this  means  the  pulp 
is  scraped  from  the  fiber,  which  is  wound  around  a  stick  as  fast  as  it  is 
drawn  from  under  the  knife.  The  whole  little  machine  is  so  absurdly 
simple,  with  its  rough  carving  knife  and  rude  levers,  that  it  hardly 
seems  to  correspond  with  the  elaborate  transformation  that  takes  place 
from  the  tall  trees  to  the  slender  white  fiber. 

One  man  can  clean  only  twenty-five  pounds  of  hemp  a  day.  When 
it  is  remembered  that  the  harvest  for  1897  was  more  than  825,000  bales, 
weighing  210  pounds  each,  it  seems  the  more  remarkable  that  so  rude 
an  instrument  should  have  such  an  important  part  to  play.  After 
being  drawn  from  the  leaves  the  hemp  is  next  spread  in  the  sun  for 
at  least  five  hours  to  dry,  when  it  can  be  immediately  baled.  Most  of 
the  hemp  presses  are  run  by  man  power. 

Abaca  is  usually  propagated  by  transplanting  the  suckers  that 
spring  from  its  roots.  It  reaches  maturity  in  three  years  from  these 
cuttings  and  in  four  years  from  seed.  It  should  be  cut  when  it  flowers, 
as  fruiting  weakens  the  fiber.  There  are  no  insect  pests  that  injure 
the  growing  plant  to  any  extent.  It  is  necessary  to  employ  native 
laborers  and  they  must  be  closely  watched,  as  they  are  inclined  to 
allow  the  petioles  to  rot  and  to  use  serrated  knives  in  drawing  the 
fiber,  thus  decreasing  the  labor  of  extracting  it,  but  sacrificing  its 
strength. 

An  Opportunity  for  Inventors. 

About  thirty  per  cent  of  the  fiber  is  wasted  by  the  present  method 
of  extraction  and  a  fortune  undoubtedly  awaits  the  man  ingenious 
enough  to  devise  a  suitable  labor-saving  machine  to  take  the  place 


262  COMMERCIAL  AND  NATIVE  INDUSTRIES. 

of  the  simple  device  at  present  used  for  drawing  it.  Numerous  attempts 
to  meet  this  want  have  been  made  in  the  past,  but  the  various  con 
trivances  have  all  failed  through  either  breaking  the  fiber  or  discolor 
ing  it.  To  be  of  practical  value  a  machine  must  be  light  enough  to 
be  readily  carried  about  by  a  few  men.  Under  existing  conditions  abaca 
plantations  are  estimated  to  yield  under  careful  management  an  an 
nual  return  of  thirty  per  cent  on  the  investment. 

The  second  commercial  industry  of  the  Philippines  in  its  impor 
tance  as  an  export  is  sugar  growing.  The  best  sugar  land  is  found 
in  the  island  of  Negros  and  not  more  than  half  of  it  is  under  cultiva 
tion.  Good  uncleared  land  sells  for  $50  per  acre  and  cleared  land  for 
$75.  The  value  of  land  suited  to  raising  sugar  varies  with  the  facili 
ties  for  drainage  and  the  distance  from  market.  Partially  exhausted 
land  near  Manila  brings  as  much  as  $115  an  acre,  while  Luzon  land 
producing  a  third  more  sugar,  but  at  a  distance  from  the  capital  or 
any  other  good  port,  sells  at  $30.  All  of  these  values  are  estimated 
in  the  silver  currency  of  the  islands.  The  construction  of  railways 
would  do  much  to  open  up  new  country  and  readjust  values. 

The  sugar  estates  in  the  Philippine  islands  usually  are  small,  not 
more  than  a  dozen  of  them  producing  above  1,000  tons  each  per  annum. 
In  spite  of  this  fact,  the  crop  has  been  a  large  one.  In  1888  exports 
reached  their  maximum  with  more  than  200,000  tons.  Since  that  time 
they  have  fallen  off,  owing  to  the  increased  production  of  beet  sugar 

and  the  consequent  depreciation  of  that  obtained  from  cane. 

i 

Magnitude  of  the  Sugar  Industry. 

There  are  local  variations  in  the  production  of  sugar  in  the  Philip 
pines,  although  the  essential  processes  are  about  the  same  as  in  other 
countries.  Tahiti  cane  is  planted  in  Luzon,  and  Java  cane  in  the  south 
ern  islands.  Nearly  all  the  Negros  grinding  mills  are  of  European  make. 
Antiquated  wooden  or  stone  crushers,  run  by  buffalo  power,  are  ex 
tensively  used  in  the  other  sugar-producing  districts.  Transportation 
to  the  coast  is  by  buffalo  cart  or  by  water.  Negros  has  no  port  which 
will  admit  large  vessels,  and  sugar  must  be  shipped  to  Iloilo  in  small 
steamers  or  schooners. 

In  the  northern  Philippines  the  syrup  from  the  boiling  pans  is 
poured  into  porous  earthern  pots,  holding  about  150  pounds  each,  and 


COMMEECIAL  AND  NATIVE  INDUSTRIES.  263 

is  then  allowed  to  drain.  The  molasses,  which  is  caught  in  jars,  is 
sold  to  distilleries  for  making  alcohol.  In  Negros  the  method  is  dif 
ferent.  The  syrup  is  boiled  longer  and  is  finally  poured  into  large 
wooden  troughs  and  stirred  with  shovels  until  it  cools,  forming  a  dry 
sugar  which  is  ready  to  pack  at  once.  The  sugar  produced  by  the 
method  first  described  is  called  "clayed"  sugar.  It  must  be  broken 
up  and  sun-dried  before  it  can  be  shipped. 

The  cigar  factories  of  Manila  are  the  chief  local  industry  of  the 
city.  The  manufacture  of  tobacco  products  has  been  the  chief  source 
of  revenue  under  the  Spanish  regime,  to  church  and  state  as  well 
as  to  the  merchants.  Including  the  raising  of  the  tobacco  by  field 
laborers  on  the  plantations  and  the  makers  of  the  trade  supplies,  the 
industry  gives  employment  to  several  hundred  thousand  people.  The 
famous  Manila  tobacco  is  a  descendant  of  plants  brought  from  Mexico  to 
the  Philippines  by  missionaries  in  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  cen 
tury.  The  plants  flourished  in  their  new  home  and  the  natives  soon 
became  exceedingly  fond  of  tobacco. 

How  the  Spaniards  Controlled  Tobacco. 

During  the  first  two  centuries  of  Spanish  rule,  little  attention  was 
paid  to  the  cultivation  of  tobacco,  but  in  1781  a  royal  decree  of  Spain 
declared  the  entire  tobacco  business  of  Luzon  to  be  a  government  mo 
nopoly.  The  natives  were  compelled  to  raise  it  against  their  will,  out 
rageous  abuses  arose  and  rioting  often  resulted.  By  one  expedient 
after  another  and  lawrs  of  remarkable  cruelty,  the  Spanish  succeeded 
in  raising  the  revenue  from  about  two  millions  in  1840  to  five  millions 
in  1859  and  eight  millions  in  1870.  Natives  were  compelled  to  raise 
tobacco  where  before  they  planted  corn  and  rice.  Finally  another  law 
was  passed  whereby  any  land  not  cultivated  in  tobacco  was  appro 
priated  by  the  government  and  given  to  any  appointee  who  would 
devote  it  to  that  purpose.  Under  tyranny  and  starvation  the  natives 
rebelled  and  great  violence  was  showrn  by  the  soldiers  who  put  down 
the  insurrection.  Finally,  on  the  last  day  of  1882,  the  monopoly  was 
abolished  by  law  and  the  disgraceful  business  was  brought  to  an  end. 

Although  the  best  Philippine  tobacco  is  not  considered  equal  to 
the  choicest  Cuban  crop,  it  is  nevertheless  excellent.  Thus  far  compara 
tively  little  systematic  effort  has  been  made  to  improve  its  quality. 


264  COMMERCIAL  AND  NATIVE  INDUSTRIES. 

There  is  no  question  that  the  quantity  of  the  crop  might  be  greatly 
increased  and  its  quality  bettered  by  more  careful  growing  and  curing. 
Until  now  the  best  results  have  been  obtained  in  north  Luzon,  although 
tobacco  is  grown  also  in  Panay,  Negros,  Cebu  and  Mindanao.  In  1897 
the  leaf  tobacco  exported  was  more  than  800,000  pounds,  while  the 
cigars  numbered  nearly  157,000,000.  In  addition  the  home  consump 
tion  is  large,  for  nearly  everybody  smokes  in  the  islands,  native  and 
foreign,  man,  woman  and  child.  The  tobacco  is  milder  and  not  as  wrell 
flavored  as  the  Cuban.  It  comes  close  to  the  Mexican  leaf,  from  which 
it  is  descended,  but,  according  to  experts,  is  better  than  the  latter. 

The  tobacco  factories  in  Manila  range  from  small  shops  to  estab 
lishments  employing  hundreds  and  even  thousands  of  operatives.  They 
are  large,  roomy  buildings,  well  ventilated,  with  excellent  sanita 
tion.  The  operatives  are  mainly  girls  and  women,  mostly  half-castes 
and  natives.  The  largest  concern  employs  more  than  10,000  operatives. 

Coffee  Growing  in  Luzon. 

Coffee  of  excellent  quality  is  readily  grown  in  the  Philippines, 
where  the  bushes  come  to  bearing  in  their  fourth  year.  They  grow  best 
at  a  considerable  elevation,  where  the  temperature  does  not  average 
above  seventy  degrees  Fahrenheit.  The  bushes  require  shade  and 
moisture  and  yield  but  one  crop  of  berries  annuall}'.  These  are  picked 
from  the  trees  by  hand,  heaped  up  in  piles  for  a  few  days,  and  then 
washed  to  get  rid  of  pulp.  The  price  of  coffee  at  Manila  varies  greatly 
from  year  to  year.  The  most  extensive  plantations  are  near  Batangas 
in  the  island  of  Luzon.  The  coffee  raised  in  the  Philippines  is  of  the 
same  varieties  and  qualities  as  that  from  the  Dutch  East  Indian  posses 
sions  and  can  be  just  as  favorably  marketed.  The  export  trade  in 
coffee  has  not  been  exceedingly  large,  but  the  local  consumption  is 
considerable. 

Gutta  percha  of  good  quality  is  abundant  in  certain  localities  in  the 
Philippines,  particularly  in  Mindanao.  It  is  hardly  knowrn  as  a  Philip 
pine  export,  as  the  two  or  three  men  who  have  dealt  in  it  have  kept  their 
knowledge  to  themselves  as  far  as  possible. 

The  export  trade  in  hemp,  sugar,  tobacco  and  the  other  commercial 
products  of  the  Philippines  has  been  in  the  hands  of  European  houses. 
Several  important  English,  German,  French  and  Spanish  firms  have 
houses  in  Manila,  but  the  only  American  concern  in  the  islands  with- 


COMMERCIAL  AND  NATIVE  INDUSTRIES.  265 

drew  from  business  there  the  year  before  the  outbreak  of  Avar.  The 
trade  of  the  islands  is  highly  profitable  and  has  been  well  organized 
by  the  representatives  of  these  great  concerns. 

Native  Industries  of  the  Islanders. 

The  native  Filipinos  are  by  no  means  as  indolent  as  they  are  gen 
erally  credited  with  being,  and  are  quite  as  industrious  as  they  could  be 
expected  to  be  in  such  a  climate  and  under  such  a  governmental  regime 
as  existed  during  the  Spanish  administration.  The  Filipinos  have  their 
own  native  industries,  which  are  quite  distinct  from  the  commercial  in 
dustries  that  depend  on  the  rest  of  the  world  for  their  prosperity  and 
their  market.  It  is  true  that  many  of  the  native  industries  have  taken 
on  a  commercial  form  in  late  years.  In  many  cases  their  product  of 
one  sort  and  another  has  been  such  as  to  Avin  favor  for  itself  by  proving 
its  merit. 

Man}'  of  the  native  industries  are  very  ancient,  especially  those 
involving  spinning  and  AveaAdng  and  the  utilization  and  manufacture 
of  sea-shells  into  useful  and  ornamental  articles.  The  Chinese  have 
done  much  to  introduce  various  occupations  among  the  Filipinos,  fol 
lowing  the  same  custom  that  has  been  theirs  AA'hereArer  they  have 
found  inferior  races  in  their  migrations.  It  is  to  the  Chinese,  therefore, 
that  many  of  the  leading  industries  are  credited. 

The  most  important  of  these  industries,  from  a  commercial  point 
of  view,  is  the  manufacture  of  a  beautiful  fabric  from  the  fiber  of 
the  pineapple  leaf.  This  cloth,  knoAvn  A^ariously  as  piila  and  nipe, 
wins  favor  wherever  it  is  shown,  although  it  is  little  known  in  the 
United  States.  The  cloth  has  the  brilliancy  and  strength  of  silk,  com 
bining  beauty  with  excellence  in  wearing  qualities.  The  making  of  the 
cloth  is  not  a  complicated  process.  The  leaves  are  rotted  under  water 
and  in  the  sun,  in  order  to  separate  the  long  threads  and  free  them 
from  gum,  sap  and  foreign  matter.  These  threads  or  hairs  are  very 
fine,  varying  in  color  from  white  to  grayish  and  yellowish  white.  After 
being  carefully  Avashed  by  the  native  wromen,  they  are  woven  upon  a 
simple  hand-loom  which  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  native 
looms  used  in  China.  The  fabric  resulting  is  considered  the  most  ex 
quisite  that  can  be  had  for  woman's  dress  in  the  Philippines.  The 
same  fabric  is  produced  in  Cuba,  where  it  is  equally  popular.  It  is 


266  COMMERCIAL  AND  NATIVE  INDUSTRIES. 

the  custom  there,  however,  instead  of  weaving  the  cloth  locally,  to  ship 
the  fiber  in  bales  to  Spain,  where  it  is  woven  on  more  perfect  looms.  In 
Spain  and  in  France  the  fabric  is  considered  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
that  can  be  obtained,  and  those  American  women  who  have  seen  it 
quite  agree  with  that  judgment. 

Bracelets  and  Necklaces  from  Shells. 

The  shell  industries  of  the  Filipinos  are  peculiarly  interesting  and 
altogether  novel.  Nature  has  furnished  material  in  endless  quantity 
and  variety.  The  simplest  form  of  shell  work  is  to  make  bracelets  and 
necklaces  out  of  little  shells  of  great  variety,  some  no  larger  than  chil 
dren's  glass  beads.  Live  shells  are  preferred  to  dead  shells  in  all  the 
work  and  bring  much  higher  prices,  live  shells  of  course  meaning  those 
in  which  the  animal  is  living  when  taken  from  the  water.  The  oyster 
shells  of  many  species  are  utilized  for  this  work.  Some  are  perfectly 
flat,  while  others  are  deep  and  large.  Conchs  are  found  in  numerous 
variety,  widely  varied  in  color  and  shape.  From  small  shells  spoons 
of  all  sorts  are  made.  The  bowl  may  be  of  a  bright  golden  color  with 
a  high  luster,  the  outside  being  pearl-gray  or  pink.  These  spoons  are 
very  cheap  and  can  be  bought  in  any  size  for  a  few  cents  a  dozen. 
From  the  conch  shells  are  made  handsome  bowls,  tureens,  vegetable 
dishes,  cups,  saucers,  plates,  pin-boxes,  jewel-cases,  card-receivers,  ash 
cups  and  tobacco  jars. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  industries  is  the  utilization  of  the 
Philippine  fresh-water  mussel  to  produce  pearls  and  pearl-covered 
ornaments  at  will.  This  mussel  exceeds  even  the  oyster  in  the  quan 
tity  though  not  the  quality  of  the  liquor  wThich,  by  evaporation  or 
separation,  produces  mother-of-pearl.  The  introduction  of  a  bit  of  sand 
into  the  mussel  will  result  in  the  production  of  a  pearl  in  a  few  wreeks, 
poor  in  quality  of  course,  but  still  a  pearl.  Little  images  are  placed  in 
the  mussel  in  the  same  way  and  taken  out  to  be  sold  after  they  are 
coated  with  pearl.  The  images  thus  obtained  are  sold  to  Buddhists, 
who  treasure  them  as  excellent  representations  of  their  great  teacher. 

Shell  Window  Panes. 

The  preparation  of  window  panes  from  the  flat  Manila  oyster  shells 
is  a  large  trade  among  the  natives.  The  shells  are  split  and  cut  into 


COMMERCIAL  AND  NATIVE  INDUSTRIES.  267 

small  squares  and  other  regular  shapes,  forming  an  excellent  substi 
tute  for  glass.  They  shut  out,  perhaps,  half  the  light,  which  is  not  an 
objection  in  such  a  climate,  and  in  addition  have  the  quality  of  mica  of 
shutting  out  all  of  the  heat.  When  fine  qualities  of  shell  are  employed, 
the  resulting  tints  are  truly  beautiful,  offering  a  suggestion  of  genu 
ine  opalesceuce.  On  other  varieties  of  shells  exquisite  engraving  is 
done  in  low  relief,  representing  landscapes  and  figures,  with  a  most 
beautiful  display  of  delicate  tints  over  the  whole.  Cowrie  shells,  cats- 
eyes,  little  images  of  native  figures  and  shell  cameos  are  various  phases 
of  the  native  shell  industry. 

In  the  forests  and  fields  the  Filipinos  find  many  of  their  local 
industries.  The  bamboo  is  as  valuable  to  them  as  it  always  is  to  the 
natives  wherever  it  grows,  becoming  almost  absolutely  indispensable. 
It  furnishes  him  with  frame,  siding,  and  sometimes  even  roofing  for  his 
house,  and  from  it  he  fashions  rafts,  out-riggers  for  his  boats,  sledges, 
agricultural  implements  of  many  sorts,  lance  shafts,  bows,  bow  strings, 
arrows,  spoons,  forks,  fish  traps,  water  pipes,  cups,  fences,  bridges, 
musical  instruments  and  almost  anything  else  that  he  needs.  The  areka 
palm,  which  grows  near  the  native  houses,  produces  the  nuts  so  much 
used  for  chewing.  From  200  to  800  nuts  per  year  will  grow  on  a  single 
tree,  the  local  demand  for  them  providing  occupation  for  many  na 
tives,  and  they  are  used  somewhat  in  Europe  for  manufacturing  a 
dentifrice. 

The  cacao  tree,  which  produces  the  chocolate  bean,  has  flourished 
in  the  Philippines  since  it  was  imported  from  Mexico  early  in  the  seven 
teenth  centime  The  rich  seeds  are  borne  in  large  fleshy  pods.  Bushes 
are  raised  from  the  bean  and  bear  the  fourth  year,  reaching  maturity 
two  years  later,  by  which  time  they  have  attained  a  height  of  about 
ten  feet.  The  beans  find  ready  sale  for  home  consumption,  but  the 
industry  has  not  yet  reached  a  commercial  status. 

Raising  Cocoanuts  for  Market. 

The  cocoanut  palm  flourishes  throughout  the  Philippine  islands, 
often  growing  in  soil  too  poor  to  produce  anything  else.  Trees  come 
to  bearing  in  six  or  seven  years,  and  yield  on  an  average  twenty  nuts 
per  month.  The  ripe  fruit  is  made  into  large  rafts  and  floated  to  mar 
ket,  wherever  possible,  but  when  waterways  are  lacking  it  must  be 


L'r.s  COMMERCIAL  AND  NATIVE  INDUSTRIES. 

hauled  on  buffalo  sledges.  There  is  a  steady  local  demand  for  the  oil, 
which  is  the  illuminaut  almost  invariably  used  by  the  natives  and  is 
sometimes  used  in  place  of  lard  for  cooking  purposes.  Copra,  as  the 
dried  meats  of  the  nut  are  called,  is  exported  in  considerable  quantity 
to  Europe.  Copra  is  used  for  making  fine  soaps  and  cosmetics. 

The  castor  oil  bean  grows  wild  on  many  of  the  islands,  and  its  oil 
is  extracted  in  a  small  way  for  the  local  trade.  It  is  not  an  article  of 
export.  A  species  of  tree  cotton  grows  wild  on  many  of  the  islands. 
The  fiber  is  too  short  to  be  of  value  for  weaving,  but  it  is  used  for 
stuffing  pillows  and  like  purposes.  Long-staple  cotton  was  at  one 
time  successfully  raised  in  Ilocos,  but  its  cultivation  was  discouraged 
by  the  authorities,  who  preferred  to  have  the  natives  grow  tobacco. 

Corn  is  raised  as  a  staple  food  article  in  some  of  the  central  and 
southern  districts,  especialty  in  Cebu.  On  good  land  it  yields  about 
two  hundred  fold  and  three  crops  can  be  grown  in  a  year.  The  demand 
for  it  is  quite  limited,  as  maii3r  of  the  natives  will  not  eat  it.  Potatoes 
are  grown  in  Cebu,  Negros  and  Luzon.  Those  thus  far  produced  are 
Arery  small.  There  is  a  good  demand  for  them  and  the  price  is  high. 

Rattan  is  very  abundant  and  like  bamboo  is  put  to  a  thousand 
uses.  Its  stems  are  of  uniform  diameter,  grow  to  enormous  length 
and  are  very  strong.  They  are  used  in  place  of  ropes  and  cables  or 
are  split  and  employed  for  tying  together  the  parts  of  house-frames, 
canoes,  fences,  carts,  sledges,  and  agricultural  implements,  as  well 
as  for  binding  hemp  bales  and  sugar  sacks.  Split  rattan  is  also  used 
in  bed  making  and  chair  seating.  Demand  for  it  is  steady  and  many 
natives  earn  a  living  by  cutting,  splitting  and  marketing  it. 

The  Rice  Industry. 

The  staple  food  of  the  common  people  is  rice,  and  they  are  quite 
successful  in  raising  it.  In  former  years  considerable  quantities  of  rice 
were  exported  to  China,  but  at  present  the  crop  is  insufficient  for  the 
home  consumption.  There  are  more  than  twenty  different  kinds  of 
padd}r.  They  may  be  roughly  divided  into  two  classes,  the  lowland 
rice  and  the  highland  rice.  The  former  grows  on  alluvial  soil  under 
water.  The  fields  where  it  is  raised  are  divided  into  small  plots  sur 
rounded  by  mud  banks  for  the  better  control  of  the  water  supply.  The 
grain  is  sown  on  the  seeding  plot  to  sprout,  and  when  it  has  reached 


COMMERCIAL  AND  NATIVE  INDUSTRIES.  269 

proper  height  is  transplanted  to  the  flood  fields.  As  a  rule  but  one  crop 
per  year  is  obtained,  the  yield  varying  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  fold. 
The  highland  rice  is  of  inferior  quality,  but  grows  without  irrigation. 
The  yield  is  about  half  as  much  as  the  other,  but  two  or  three  crops 
can  be  raised  in  a  year. 

The  methods  used  in  rice  culture  and  harvest  are  of  the  crudest. 
The  ground  is  prepared  for  the  lowland  rice  by  flooding  it  and  working 
it  with  muck  rakes  drawn  by  carabaos.  The  young  rice  shoots  are 
stuck  in  by  hand  and  the  ripe  heads  of  grain  are  often  cut  one  at  a  time 
with  a  small  knife  blade,  though  sickles  are  sometimes  used.  Threshing 
is  usually  accomplished  under  the  feet  of  women  or  cattle,  more  rarely 
by  means  of  wooden  flails.  The  grain  is  freed  from  the  husk  by  pound 
ing  in  a  wooden  mortar  and  flat  baskets  are  used  for  winnowing.  Very 
rarely  one  finds  simple  home-made  machinery  for  pounding  or  winnow 
ing  grain,  but  there  is  nothing  of  the  sort  in  general  use. 

The  manufacture  of  hemp  and  of  hemp-rope  is  partly  native  and 
partly  Spanish.  The  natives  had  learned  the  virtues  of  hemp  long 
before  the  Spanish  discovery  of  the  islands.  They  made  an  excellent 
rope,  employing  nearly  all  of  the  methods  that  are  used  to-day  in 
that  manufacture.  Besides  twisting  the  threads,  the  cords  and  the 
strands,  they  also  braided  them  and  with  the  braids  in  turn  made 
strands  by  twisting  and  a  second  braiding.  The  braided  ropes  were 
often  quite  flat  and  were  practically  straps.  They  are  still  utilized  as 
harness  for  their  ponies  and  buffaloes  and  for  rigging  upon  their  primi 
tive  water  cart.  The  same  hempen  straps  are  used  for  the  making  of 
sandals  and  rude  rugs  and  for  nearly  every  purpose  to  which  the  leather 
thong  or  strap  is  put  by  savage  races.  Although  the  native  ropes  are 
inferior  to  those  made  by  Europeans  or  under  European  direction, 
they  are  strong,  durable  and  extremely  cheap,  costing  only  a  third  to 
a  fifth  of  the  more  finished  product.  At  one  time  these  native  styles 
of  cordage  might  be  considered  as  part  of  the  commercial  industry  of 
the  country,  but  the  exorbitant  export  duties  and  internal  taxation 
crushed  out  the  native  enterprise. 

How  to  Reach  the  Philippines. 

It  is  a  journey  of  more  than  a  month  to  reach  the  Philippines  from 
the  United  States,  by  the  methods  of  travel  heretofore  existing.  The 


270  COMMERCIAL  AND  NATIVE  INDUSTRIES. 

only  communication  they  have  had  by  regular  passenger  lines  with 
the  ports  of  Asia  is  by  steamers  running  between  Hong  Kong,  Amoy 
and  Manila.  Then  there  was  a  Spanish  line  sailing  directly  from  Spain 
and  touching  at  Singapore.  Hong  Kong  is  the  usual  port  of  sailing 
for  Manila,  so  that  it  remains  for  the  prospective  traveler  to  reach  Hong 
Kong,  either  by  way  of  San  Francisco  or  the  Suez  canal,  as  suits  him 
best.  The  journey  eastward  is  ten  days  longer  than  that  westward. 
No  doubt  a  direct  line  from  San  Francisco  to  Manila,  via  Honolulu, 
will  be  established  in  the  near  future,  but  until  that  time  comes  one 
must  depend  on  the  older  steamship  companies. 


•J-i. 


J.  M.  SEYBA 

Aguinaldo's  private  secretary,  who  returned  with  him  from 
Hong  Kong  to  Cavite. 


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CHAPTER   XVI. 
AGUINALDO,  THE   LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS. 

Personality  and  Career  of  the  Most  Notable  Man  in  the  Philippines — The  Last 
Insurrection  Against  the  Spanish  and  How  It  Terminated — Bribery 
and  the  Consequences — Varying  Opinions  of  Aguinaldo — A  Word 
About  the  American  Consuls — Relations  with  Army  and  Navy — Gen 
eral  Merritt  and  the  Filipino  Administration. 

It  is  doubtful  whether  even  the  name  of  the  leader  of  the  Filipino 
rebels  against  the  Spaniards  was  known  to  a  dozen  persons  in  the 
United  States  until  it  became  familiar  in  the  days  of  Dewey's  occu 
pancy  of  Manila  bay.  His  title  in  full,  as  used  by  himself,  is  Don 
Emilio  Aguinaldo  y  Famy,  President  of  the  Revolutionary  Government 
of  the  Philippines  and  General-in-chief  of  the  Army,  but  his  signature 
is  usually  the  single  word  by  which  he  is  knowTn  to  us.  Although  we 
knew  little  of  the  progress  of  the  insurrection  against  Spanish  rule 
in  the  Philippines  prior  to  the  arrival  of  Admiral  Dewey,  the  Filipinos 
were  making  history  for  their  islands  long  before  that  time,  and  their 
leader  did  not  reach  his  position  of  eminence  by  accident,  but  by  his 
own  energies  and  abilities. 

For  a  long  time  the  native  inhabitants  of  the  Philippine  islands  had 
been  restless  under  the  oppressive  yoke  of  Spanish  cruelty.  Finally, 
under  the  advice  of  the  organized  Junta  Patriotica  an  insurrection  was 
begun,  the  principal  strength  of  which  was  centered  in  the  island  of 
Luzon,  as  a  threat  against  the  city  of  Manila,  the  seat  of  Spanish  gov 
ernment,  and  in  the  island  of  Panay,  in  which  is  situated  the  city  of 
Iloilo,  second  in  commercial  importance  in  the  archipelago. 

Spanish  "Pacification"  of  the  Filipinos. 

Emilio  Aguinaldo,  now  about  29  years  old,  is  a  man  of  an  intel 
ligence  far  beyond  that  of  most  of  his  people.  He  comes  of  a  good 
family  in  the  province  of  Cavite,  near  Manila,  where  he  wras  educated 
and  where  he  entered  the  bar.  He  joined  the  insurgents  immediately 


274  AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS. 

after  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion  in  the  latter  part  of  1896,  but  it  was 
not  until  after  the  execution  of  Dr.  Rizal  that  he  became  one  of  the 
leaders  of  the  revolt.  The  blockade  maintained  by  the  Spanish  squad 
ron  in  Philippine  waters  against  the  importation  of  arms  for  the  in 
surgents  gradually  drove  the  Filipinos  to  the  wall,  and  in  December, 
1897,  the  celebrated  "pacification"  of  the  islands  was  negotiated,  the 
go-between  being  Seiior  Pedro  Paterno,  director  of  the  Manila  museum, 
a  Filipino  who  had  remained  at  least  passively  loyal  to  the  Spaniards. 
The  Filipina  junta  at  this  time  was  composed  of  Emilio  Aguinaldo,  who 
exercised  such  executive  powers  as  were  possible  to  so  feeble  an  organi 
zation;  Seiior  Artacho,  home  secretary;  Seiior  Montenogro,  foreign  sec 
retary;  Vito  Bilarmino,  war  secretary,  and  Baldomero  Aguinaldo,  secre 
tary  of  the  treasury. 

The  so-called  "pacification"  consisted  in  a  purchase  of  the  insurgent 
leaders  for  the  sum  of  |SOO,000  (Mexican),  equal  to  about  $400,000  in 
gold.  Aguinaldo  and  his  associates  agreed  to  surrender  all  the  arms 
in  the  possession  of  the  natives  and  to  quit  the  archipelago,  remain 
ing  away  at  the  pleasure  of  the  Spanish  government,  and  to  use  their 
utmost  influence  to  disband  and  disarm  all  the  insurgent  forces.  Aguin 
aldo  was  to  go  to  Hong  Kong  to  receive  the  first  installment  of  the 
Spanish  money,  amounting  to  $400,000  (Mexican),  and  lie  was  then  to 
cable  to  Artacho,  who  surrendered  himself  to  the  captain-general  as  a 
hostage.  On  receiving  Aguinaldo's  cable  message  that  the  money  had 
been  paid  Artacho  was  to  dissolve  the  insurgent  organization,  disband 
the  troops  and  give  up  their  arms.  This  part  of  the  programme  was 
carried  out  in  December,  1897,  or  the  early  part  of  January,  1898,  and  the 
treaty  of  Biyak  was  signed  with  great  solemnity.  Then  came  the  time 
to  test  the  sincerity  of  the  parties  to  the  agreement. 

The  facts  seem  to  show  that  Spain  followed  exactly  the  course  that 
she  followed  in  Cuba  in  1878  to  terminate  the  Ten  Years'  War.  The  pro 
gramme  as  carried  out  in  each  case  provided,  first,  for  the  bribing  of  the 
insurgent  leaders  to  use  their  influence  for  peace;  second,  the  promising 
of  whatever  reforms  were  necessary  to  induce  the  insurgent  armies  to 
cease  fighting;  third,  the  immediate  punishment  of  all  the  insurgent 
leaders  on  whom  they  could  get  their  hands  as  soon  as  peace  was 
actually  established  and  matters  in  their  own  hands;  fourth,  the  re 
newed  and  redoubled  severity  of  treatment  to  the  pacified  colony;  and 
fifth,  the  utter  ignoring  and  repudiation  of  every  detail  of  the  seductive 


AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS.  275 

promises  they  had  made.  A  natural  consequence  of  this  chain  of  cir 
cumstances  was  the  renewal  of  insurrection  in  each  case  by  the  de 
ceived  insurgents,  as  soon  as  new  equipment  and  new  organization 
could  be  arranged. 

Reforms  Promised  by  the  Spanish. 

By  the  terms  of  the  treaty  an  armistice  of  three  years  was  estab 
lished  and  the  natives  were  to  lay  down  their  arms  and  turn  them  over 
to  the  Spanish  authorities.  The  Spanish  authorities  on  their  part  bound 
themselves  to  grant  certain  reforms,  of  which  the  most  important  were 
the  restriction  of  the  power  of  the  religious  orders,  the  representation 
of  the  Filipinos  in  the  Spanish  Cortes,  the  future  impartiality  of 
justice  and  law  between  Spaniards  and  natives  in  the  Philippines, 
the  participation  of  natives  in  the  office-holding  of  the  islands,  and  the 
liberty  of  the  press.  It  was  agreed  that  the  governor-general  of  the 
islands,  General  Primo  de  Rivera,  should  remain  in  that  position 
throughout  the  three  years  of  the  armistice  as  a  guarantee  that  the 
reforms  would  be  established,  and  that  a  general  amnesty  should  be 
proclaimed. 

The  Spanish  authorities  were  so  far  from  carrying  out  their  agree 
ments  that  it  would  seem  almost  as  if  they  had  studiously  endeavored 
to  go  as  far  as  possible  from  the  terms  of  the  treaty  and  for  the  further 
irritation  of  the  Filipinos.  In  the  first  place,  General  Rivera  was  re 
moved  from  his  post  very  soon,  thus  withdrawing  from  the  islands  the 
one  who  would  have  been  best  informed  on  the  demands  of  the  natives. 
The  general  amnesty  was  never  declared,  although  a  few  pardons  were 
given.  Instead  of  establishing  the  reforms,  the  very  things  that  were 
most  irritating  to  the  insurgents  were  aggravated.  The  religious  orders 
were  given  increased  power,  two  vacant  bishoprics  being  filled  at  once 
by  priests  of  the  very  orders  that  were  the  first  cause  of  the  insurrection. 
In  the  short  time  intervening  between  the  signature  of  the  treaty  and 
the  removal  of  General  Rivera  from  Manila,  he  denied  the  existence  of 
the  agreement  and  executed  many  of  the  very  persons  whom  he  had  prom 
ised  to  protect,  endeavoring  by  this  means  to  destroy  the  nucleus  of  the 
revolution.  In  Spain  he  was  given  the  decoration  of  the  grand  cross 
of  San  Fernando,  as  a  reward  for  the  peace  he  had  established.  By  all 
of  these  things  the  Filipinos  believed  themselves  absolved  from  any 


276  AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS. 

obligation  to  Spain  that  had  been  assumed  by  the  mutual  agreements 
included  in  the  treaty. 

General  Greene's  Opinion  of  Aguinaldo, 

It  is  interesting  to  note  what  General  Francis  V.  Greene  of  the 
United  States  army  in  the  Philippines  thought  of  the  bribery  phase  of 
the  affair  and  of  Aguinaldo.  In  his  official  report  to  the  secretary  of 
war,  dated  August  30, 1898,  he  says: 

"Aguinaldo  and  his  associates  went  to  Hong  Kong  and  Singapore. 
A  portion  of  the  money,  f  400,000,  was  deposited  in  banks  at  Hong  Kong, 
and  a  lawsuit  soon  arose  between  Aguinaldo  and  one  of  his  subordinate 
chiefs  named  Artacho,  which  is  interesting  on  account  of  the  very  hon 
orable  position  taken  by  Aguinaldo.  Artacho  sued  for  a  division  of  the 
money  among  the  insurgents  according  to  rank.  Aguinaldo  claimed 
that  the  money  was  a  trust  fund,  and  was  to  remain  on  deposit  until  it 
was  seen  whether  the  Spaniards  would  carry  out  their  promised  re 
forms,  and  if  they  failed  to  do  so,  it  was  to  be  used  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  a  new  insurrection.  The  suit  was  settled  out  of  court  by  paying 
Artacho  $5,000.  No  steps  have  been  taken  to  introduce  the  reforms. 
More  than  2,000  insurgents  who  had  been  deported  to  Fernando  Po  and 
other  places  are  still  in  confinement,  and  Aguinaldo  is  now  using  the 
money  to  carry  on  the  operations  of  the  present  insurrection." 

General  Whittier's  statement  shows  that  Aguinaldo  even  refused  to 
take  money  for  his  personal  expenses  when  asked  to  return  to  Manila, 
by  the  American  consul  at  Singapore,  Spencer  Pratt,  who  offered  him 
money  for  that  purpose. 

Aguinaldo  and  the  American  Consuls. 

The  reports  of  these  two  officers  wrere  evidently  made  before  they 
had  carefully  investigated  the"  facts.  Aguinaldo  was  on  his  way  to 
Europe  with  the  lion's  share  of  the  bribe  money,  when  news  of  the  prob 
ability  of  war  between  the  United  States  and  Spain  reached  him  in 
Singapore,  where  he  remained  to  see  whether  the  Filipinos  might  not 
profit  by  Spain's  difficulties.  It  was  then  that  occurred  the  negotiations 
with  our  worthy  representative,  Consul  Pratt,  which,  Aguinaldo  now 
claims,  in  part  justify  his  assertion  that  the  United  States  made  an 


AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS.  277 

alliance  with  him  by  which  he  was  to  assist  in  expelling  the  Spaniards 
from  the  Philippines,  and  in  return  the  United  States  was  to  recog 
nize  the  independence  of  the  Filipino  republic.  It  is,  of  course,  impos 
sible  to  tell  how  big  a  fool  an  American  consul  is  capable  of  being,  but 
developments  at  Singapore  and  Hong  Kong  lead  to  the  belief  that  the 
record  was  advanced  a  long  distance.  No  one  need  suppose,  however, 
that  Seiior  Aguinaldo  was  deceived  as  to  the  authority  of  a  mere  consul 
to  bind  our  government.  He  is  altogether  too  shrewd  and  too  well  read 
to  have  any  illusions,  though  of  course  now  it  suits  his  game  to  set  up 
the  claim  that  his  return  to  Cavite  was  due  to  the  solicitations  and  agree 
ments  of  our  consular  representatives. 

To  show  how  well  he  has  studied  the  situation  let  me  recall  a  con 
versation  he  had  with  General  Anderson,  who  commanded  the  first  de 
tachment  of  our  troops  that  landed  at  Cavite  June  30  last.  It  should 
be  remembered  that  Aguinaldo  had  probably  never  regarded  the  United 
States  as  anything  more  than  a  geographical  expression  until  within 
five  months  preceding  this  conversation,  for  no  one  had  ever  thought 
of  the  possibility  of  our  interference  with  the  future  of  the  Philippine 
archipelago. 

Aguinaldo  at  his  second  or  third  meeting  with  General  Anderson 
asked  him  point-blank  whether  the  United  States  had  any  intention  of 
treating  the  Philippines  as  colonies.  As  General  Anderson  had  no 
orders  and  no  authority  to  reveal  the  policy  of  his  government  he  replied 
that  he  could  not  answer  that  question;  but,  he  added,  the  United  States 
had  been  a  nation  for  more  than  120  years  without  colonies,  and  Aguin 
aldo  could  judge  for  himself  whether  our  government  would  try  to 
colonize  a  distant  territory  at  this  late  day.  "That  is  true,"  replied 
Aguinaldo,  "and  besides  I  have  read  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States  very  carefully,  and  I  cannot  find  in  it  any  provision  for  colonies." 

As  I  said  before,  no  one  need  imagine  that  Seiior  Aguinaldo  was 
under  any  hallucination  as  to  the  powers  of  a  consul  to  pledge  the  faith 
of  his  government.  It  is  probable  that  he  knew  the  duties  and  limita 
tions  of  our  amateur  diplomats  in  Singapore  and  Hong  Kong  even  better 
than  they  did. 

No  Filipino  Pilot  Aboard  the  Olympia. 

When  it  was  evident  that  war  was  only  a  question  of  days  Aguinaldo 
went  from  Singapore  to  Hong  Kong,  hoping  to  arrive  in  time  to  see 


278  AGUINALDO,  THE   LEADER   OF  THE  FILIPINOS. 

Commodore  Dewey,  but  he  was  several  days  too  late.  As  there  are  peo 
ple  who  confidently  assert  that  Aguinaldo  piloted  Commodore  Dewey's 
flagship  into  Manila  bay  the  night  before  the  battle  it  may  be  as  well 
to  say  that  neither  Aguinaldo  nor  any  other  Filipino  was  on  board  the 
Otympia  at  that  time.  Moreover,  the  only  one  of  his  followers  with  the 
fleet  was  a  man  whom  the  commodore  intended  to  use  as  an  interpreter 
in  case  he  should  fall  in  with  any  Filipino  fishermen  from  whom 
he  might  want  to  get  information  before  entering  Manila  bay.  Three  of 
these  men — Teodoro  Sandico,  A.  G.  Medina  and  T.  Alejandrino — came 
off  to  the  fleet  before  the  commodore  sailed  from  Mirs  bay,  and  one  of 
them  was  taken  aboard  the  storeship  Zafiro.  As  this  vessel  was  the 
last  vessel  in  the  line  on  entering  Manila  bay  he  was  not  in  a  position 
to  do  any  piloting  even  if  he  had  been  capable  of  such  work,  which  he 
was  not. 

On  May  IT,  however,  after  Aguinaldo  and  his  followers  had  haunted 
the  American  consulate  in  Hong  Kong  morning,  noon  and  night  for 
many  days,  Consul-General  Wildmau  sent  them  all  aboard  the  McCul- 
loch  and  they  went  to  Manila  bay.  It  was  distinctly  understood  by 
Aguinaldo  that  Admiral  Dewey  assumed  no  authority  over  and  no  re 
sponsibility  for  his  actions,  and  that  the  object  striven  for  was  solely 
the  defeat  and  expulsion  of  the  Spaniards. 

As  I  accompanied  him  from  Hong  Kong  and  was  able  to  be  of  some 
service  to  him,  I  was  received  at  his  headquarters  with  great  cordiality 
until  after  the  arrival  of  the  first  detachment  of  troops. 

Admiral  Dewey  put  him  ashore  in  Cavite,  gave  him  a  great  deal  of 
ammunition  and  a  few  cannon,  and  he  started  to  work.  His  campaign 
was  wonderful  and  Admiral  Dewey  was  greatly  pleased. 

Aguinaldo  took  possession  of  one  of  the  abandoned  houses  in  Cavite, 
and  at  first  he  acted  with  great  good  judgment  and  simplicity. 
In  a  day  or  two  the  natives  flocked  into  Cavite  in  droves,  and  as  a  small 
steamer  arrived  from  Hong  Kong,  laden  with  arms  and  ammunition,  in 
a  week  there  were  more  than  1,000  men  ready  to  take  the  field  against 
the  Spaniards  in  Cavite  province. 

Major- General  Merritt  and  Aguinaldo. 

When  the  American  army  came  Aguinaldo  was  crowded  out  of 
Cavite,  and  there  began  to  be  friction.  General  Merritt's  arrival  in 
creased  that  friction  and  Aguinaldo  complained  of  the  way  he  was  being 


AGUINALDO,  THE   LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS.  279 

treated,  expressing  considerable  bitterness  because  of  the  manners  of 
the  American  soldiers. 

That  marked  the  point  where  Aguinaldo  came  to  be  popularly  re 
garded  as  an  ambitious,  designing  enemy  to  be  mistrusted,  and  the  in 
surgent  fight  for  independence  became  Aguinaldoism. 

Major-General  Merritt's  report  of  the  relations  between  his  army 
and  the  Filipinos,  of  date  August  31,  was  as  follows: 

"As  General  Aguinaldo  did  not  visit  me  on  my  arrival  nor  offer  his 
services  as  a  subordinate  military  leader,  and  as  my  instructions  from 
the  president  fully  contemplated  the  occupation  of  the  islands  by  the 
American  land  forces  and  stated  that  'the  powers  of  the  military  occu 
pant  are  absolute  and  supreme,  and  immediately  operate  upon  the  po 
litical  condition  of  the  inhabitants,'  I  did  not  consider  it  wise  to  hold 
any  direct  communication  with  the  insurgent  leader  until  I  should  be 
in  possession  of  the  city  of  Manila,  especially  as  I  would  not  until  then 
be  in  a  position  to  issue  a  proclamation  and  enforce  my  authority,  in  the 
event  that  his  pretensions  should  clash  with  my  designs. 

"For  these  reasons  the  preparations  for  the  attack  on  the  city  were 
pressed  and  military  operations  conducted  without  reference  to  the 
situation  of  the  insurgent  forces.  The  wisdom  of  this  course  was  subse 
quently  fully  established  by  the  fact  that  when  the  troops  of  my  com 
mand  carried  the  Spanish  intrenchments,  extending  from  the  sea  to  the 
Pasay  road  on  the  extreme  Spanish  right,  we  were  under  no  obligations 
by  prearranged  plans  of  mutual  attack  to  turn  to  the  right  and  clear  the 
front  still  held  against  the  insurgents,  but  were  able  to  move  forward 
at  once  and  occupy  the  city  and  suburbs. 

"To  return  to  the  situation  of  General  Greene's  brigade  as  I  found 
it  on  my  arrival.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  difficulty  in  gaining  an  avenue 
of  approach  to  the  Spanish  line  lay  in  the  fact  of  my  disinclination  to 
ask  General  Aguinaldo  to  withdraw  from  the  beach  and  the  'Calle  Real,' 
so  that  Greene  could  move  forward.  This  was  overcome  by  instructions 
to  General  Greene  to  arrange,  if  possible,  with  the  insurgent  brigade 
commander  in  his  immediate  vicinity  to  move  to  the  right  and  allow  the 
American  forces  unobstructed  control  of  the  roads  in  their  immediate 
front.  No  objection  was  made  and  accordingly  General  Greene's  bri 
gade  threw  forward  a  heavy  outpost  line  on  the  'Calle  Real'  and  the 
beach  and  constructed  a  trench,  in  which  a  portion  of  the  guns  of  the 
Utah  battery  was  placed." 


280  AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS. 

After  reporting  the  details  of  the  taking  of  Manila,  General  Merritt 
continued: 

"After  the  issue  of  ray  proclamation  and  the  establishment  of  my 
office  as  military  governor,  I  had  direct  written  communication  with 
General  Aguinaldo  on  several  occasions.  He  recognized  my  authority  as 
military  governor  of  the  town  of  Manila  and  suburbs  and  made  profes 
sions  of  his  willingness  to  withdraw  his  troops  to  a  line  which  I  might 
indicate,  but  at  the  same  time  asking  certain  favors  for  himself.  The 
matters  in  this  connection  had  not  been  settled  at  the  date  of  my  depar 
ture.  Doubtless  much  dissatisfaction  is  felt  by  the  rank  and  file  of  the 
insurgents  that  they  have  not  been  permitted  to  enjoy  the  occupancy  of 
Manila,  and  there  is  some  ground  for  trouble  with  them  owing  to  that 
fact,  but,  notwithstanding  many  rumors  to  the  contrary,  I  am  of  the 
opinion  that  the  leaders  will  be  able  to  prevent  serious  disturbances,  as 
they  are  sufficiently  intelligent  and  educated  to  know  that  to  antagonize 
the  United  States  would  be  to  destroy  their  only  chance  of  future  politi 
cal  improvement." 


President  McKinley  Instructs  General  Merritt, 

The  relation  between  the  army  and  the  Filipinos  that  was  desired 
by  the  administration  at  Washington  is  outlined  in  the  order  sent  to 
General  Merritt  regarding  the  occupation  of  the  city  of  Manila,  as  soon 
as  word  of  the  capture  was  received  in  the  United  States.  The  order 
wras  as  follows: 

"Adjutant-General's  Office,  Washington,  D.  C.,  Aug.  17,  1898  — 
Major-General  Merritt,  Manila,  Philippines:  The  president  directs  that 
there  must  be  no  joint  occupation  with  the  insurgents.  The  United 
States,  in  the  possession  of  Manila  city,  Manila  bay  and  harbor,  must 
preserve  the  peace  and  protect  person  and  property  within  the  territory 
occupied  by  their  military  and  naval  forces.  The  insurgents  and  all 
others  must  recognize  the  military  occupation  and  authority  of  the 
United  States  and  the  cessation  of  hostilities  proclaimed  by  the  presi 
dent.  Use  whatever  means  in  your  judgment  are  necessary  to  this  end. 
All  law-abiding  people  must  be  treated  alike.  By  order  secretary  of 
war,  H.  C,  CORBIN, 

"Adjutant-General." 


AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS.  28  L 

Let  us  return  again  to  the  progress  of  such  government  as  the  Fili 
pinos  were  able  to  form  and  to  their  operations  against  the  Spanish 
before  Manila,  prior  to  the  American  taking  of  the  city. 


Dictatorial  Government  of  the  Filipinos. 

On  the  18th  of  June  Aguinaldo  issued  a  proclamation  from  Cavite 
establishing  a  dictatorial  government  with  himself  as  dictator.  In  each 
village  or  pueblo  a  chief  was  to  be  elected,  and  in  each  ward  a  nendruin; 
also  in  each  pueblo  three  delegates,  one  of  police,  one  of  justice,  and 
one  of  taxes.  These  were  to  constitute  the  junta,  or  assembly,  and  after 
consulting  the  junta  the  chiefs  of  pueblos  were  to  elect  a  chief  of 
province  and  three  counsellors,  one  of  police,  one  of  justice,  and  one  of 
taxes.  They  were  also  to  elect  one  or  more  representatives  from  each 
province  to  form  the  revolutionary  congress.  This  was  followed  on 
June  20  by  a  decree  giving  more  detailed  instructions  in  regard  to  the 
elections. 

On  June  23  another  decree  followed,  changing  the  title  of  the  govern 
ment  from  dictatorial  to  revolutionary,  and  of  the  chief  officer  from  dic 
tator  to  president;  announcing  a  cabinet  with  a  minister  of  foreign 
affairs,  marine  and  commerce,  another  of  war  and  public  works,  another 
of  police  and  internal  order,  justice,  instruction  and  hygiene,  and  an 
other  of  taxes,  agriculture  and  manufactures;  the  powers  of  the  presi 
dent  and  congress  were  denned,  and  a  code  of  military  justice  was  for 
mulated.  On  the  same  date  a  manifesto  was  issued  to  the  world  explain 
ing  the  reasons  and  purposes  of  the  revolution.  On  June  27  another 
decree  was  issued  containing  instructions  in  regard  to  elections.  On 
August  0  an  address  was  issued  to  foreign  governments,  stating  that 
the  revolutionary  government  was  in  operation  and  control  in  fifteen 
provinces,  and  that  in  response  to  the  petition  of  the  duly  elected  chiefs 
of  these  provinces,  recognition  of  belligerency  and  independence  was 
requested. 

In  this  address  it  was  announced  that  the  revolutionary  govern 
ment  had  the  city  of  Manila  besieged.  Order  and  tranquillity  reigned. 
Nine  thousand  prisoners  of  war  were  held  by  the  insurgents,  and  an 
army  of  30,000  was  declared  to  be  under  arms. 


282  AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  FILiriNOS. 


Status  of  the  Filipino  Administration. 

In  the  province  of  Cavite  and  that  portion  of  the  province  of  Manila 
outside  of  the  city  and  its  suburbs,  that  was  occupied  by  the  insurgent 
troops  as  well  as  those  of  the  United  States,  their  military 
forces,  military  headquarters,  etc.,  were  very  much  in  evidence,  occu 
pying  the  principal  houses  and  churches  in  every  village  and  hamlet, 
but  there  were  no  signs  of  civil  government  or  administration.  It  was 
reported,  however,  that  Aguinaldo's  agents  were  levying  taxes  or  forced 
contributions  not  only  in  the  outside  villages,  but  (after  the  Americans 
entered  Manila)  by  means  of  secret  agents,  in  the  market  place  of  the 
city  itself.  At  Aguinaldo's  headquarters,  in  Bakor,  there  were  signs 
of  activity  and  business,  and  his  cabinet  officers  were  in  constant  ses 
sion  there. 

Aguinaldo  never  himself  failed  to  claim  all  the  prerogatives  due  to 
his  alleged  position  as  the  de  facto  ruler  of  the  country.  The  only 
general  officer  who  saw  him  or  had  any  direct  communication  with  him 
was  General  Anderson.  He  did  much  to  thwart  this  officer  in  organiz 
ing  a  native  wagon  train  and  otherwise  providing  for  his  troops,  and  he 
went  so  far,  in  a  letter  of  July  23,  as  to  warn  General  Anderson  not  to 
land  American  troops  on  Philippine  soil  without  his  consent — a  notice 
which,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  say,  was  ignored.  The  day  before  the 
attack  on  Manila  he  sent  staff  officers  to  the  same  general,  asking  for 
the  American  plans  of  attack,  so  that  their  troops  could  enter  Manila 
with  them. 

Merritt  and  Aguinaldo  Meet. 

Aguinaldo  did  not  call  upon  General  Merritt  upon  his  arrival,  and 
this  enabled  the  latter  to  avoid  any  communication  with  him,  either 
direct  or  indirect,  until  after  Manila  had  been  taken.  General  Merritt 
then  received  one  of  Aguinaldo's  staff  officers  in  his  office  as  military 
governor.  The  interview  lasted  more  than  an  hour.  General  Merritt 

O 

referred  to  his  proclamation  as  showing  the  conditions  under  which 
the  American  troops  had  come  to  Manila  and  the  nature  of  the  military 
government,  which  would  be  maintained  until  further  orders  from 
Washington.  He  agreed  upon  the  lines  outside  of  the  city  of  Manila, 


AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER   OF  THE  FILIPINOS.  283 

up  to  which  the  insurgent  troops  could  come,  but  no  further,  with  arms 
in  their  hands.  He  asked  for  possession  of  the  water  works,  which  was 
given,  and,  while  expressing  friendship  and  sympathy  for  the  Philip 
pine  people,  he  stated  very  positively  that  the  United  States  govern 
ment  had  placed  at  his  disposal  an  ample  force  for  carrying  out  his  in 
structions,  and  even  if  the  services  of  Aguinaldo's  forces  had  been 
needed  as  allies  he  should  not  have  felt  at  liberty  to  accept  them. 

From  the  first  it  was  seen  that  the  problem  of  how  to  deal  with 
Aguinaldo's  government  and  troops  would  necessarily  be  accompanied 
by  embarrassment  and  difficulty,  and  would  require  much  tact  and 
skill  in  its  solution.  The  United  States  government,  through  its  naval 
commander,  had  to  some  extent  made  use  of  them  for  a  distinct  mili 
tary  purpose,  to  harass  and  annoy  the  Spanish  troops,  to  wear  them 
out  in  the  trenches,  to  blockade  Manila  on  the  land  side,  and  to  do  as 
much  damage  as  possible  to  the  Spanish  government  prior  to  the 
arrival  of  our  troops,  and  for  this  purpose  the  admiral  allowed  them 
to  take  the  arms  and  munitions  which  he  had  captured  at  Cavite,  and 
their  ships  to  pass  in  and  out  of  Manila  bay  in  their  expeditions  against 
other  provinces.  But  the  admiral  was  very  careful  to  give  Aguinaldo 
no  assurances  of  recognition  and  no  pledges  nor  promises  of  any  descrip 
tion.  The  services  which  Aguinaldo  and  his  adherents  rendered  in 
preparing  the  way  for  attack  on  Manila  w^ere  certainly  entitled  to  con 
sideration,  but,  after  all,  they  were  small  in  comparison  with  what  was 
done  by  our  fleet  and  army. 

An  American  Government  in  Manila. 

Our  army  entered  Manila  on  the  afternoon  of  August  13.  On  the 
14th  the  capitulation  was  signed,  and  the  same  day  General  Merritt 
issued  his  proclamation  establishing  a  military  government.  On  the 
15th  General  MacArthur  was  appointed  military  commander  of  the 
walled  city  and  provost-marshal-general  of  the  city  of  Manila  and  its 
suburbs,  and  on  the  17th  General  Greene  was  appointed  to  take  charge 
of  all  fiscal  affairs  and  the  duties  performed  by  the  minister  of  finance. 
Representatives  of  the  postoffice  department  had  arrived  on  the  steam 
ship  China  in  July  and  they  immediately  took  charge  of  the  Manila 
postoffice,  which  was  opened  for  business  on  the  16th.  The  custom 
house  was  opened  on  the  18th,  writh  Lieutenant-Colonel  Whittier  as 
collector,  and  the  internal  revenue  office,  with  Major  Bement  as  collector 


284  AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS. 

on  the  22d.  Captain  Glass  of  the  navy  was  appointed  captain  of  the 
port,  or  naval  officer,  and  took  charge  of  the  office  on  August  19th.  The 
collections  of  customs  during  the  first  ten  days  exceeded  $100,000.  The 
collections  of  internal  revenue  were  small  owing  to  the  difficulty  and 
delay  in  ascertaining  what  persons  had  or  had  not  paid  their  taxes  for 
the  current  year.  The  administration  of  water  works  was  put  in  charge 
of  Lieutenant  Connor,  of  the  engineers,  on  August  25;  the  provost  court 
with  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jewett,  judge  advocate  United  States  volun 
teers,  sitting  as  judge,  was  appointed  and  held  its  first  session  on 
August  23. 

The  provost-marshal-general  had  charge  of  the  police,  fire,  health 
and  street  cleaning  departments,  and  the  issuing  of  licenses.  The 
guardia  civil,  or  gendarmerie  of  the  city,  proving  indifferent  and  inef 
ficient,  were  disarmed  and  disbanded;  the  13th  Minnesota  regiment 
was  detailed  for  police  duty.  One  or  more  companies  were  stationed 
in  each  police  station,  from  which  patrolmen  were  sent  out  on  the 
streets  to  take  the  place  of  the  sentries  who  had  constantly  patrolled 
them  from  the  hour  of  entering  the  city. 

Resuming  Business  in  the  City. 

The  shops  were  all  closed  on  Saturday  afternoon,  the  13th;  on 
Monday  some  of  them  opened,  and  by  Wednesday  the  banks  had  resumed 
business,  the  newspapers  were  published,  and  the  merchants  were  ready 
to  declare  goods  at  the  custom  house;  the  tram  cars  were  running  and 
the  retail  shops  were  all  open  and  doing  a  large  business.  There  was 
no  disorder  nor  pillage  of  any  kind  in  the  city.  The  conduct  of  the  troops 
was  simply  admirable,  and  left  no  ground  for  criticism.  It  was  noted 
and  commented  upon  by  the  foreign  naval  officers  in  the  most  favorable 
terms,  and  it  so  surprised  the  Spanish  soldiers  that  a  considerable  num 
ber  of  them  applied  for  permission  to  enlist  in  the  American  service. 

A  total  of  about  $900,000  of  public  funds  belonging  to  the  various 
government  departments  was  taken  in  charge  by  General  Greene  to 
be  applied  properly  in  public  service. 

General  Merritt's  Proclamation  to  the  Filipinos. 

On  the  day  after  the  taking  of  Manila,  Major-General  Merritt  issued 
the  following  proclamation  to  the  Filipinos: 


AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS. 

"Headquarters  Department  of  the  Pacific,  August  14,  1898. 
"To  the  People  of  the  Philippines: 

"I.  War  has  existed  between  the  United  States  and  Spain  since 
April  21  of  this  year.  Since  that  date  you  have  witnessed  the  destruc 
tion  by  an  American  fleet  of  the  Spanish  naval  power  in  these  islands, 
the  fall  of  the  principal  city,  Manila,  and  its  defenses,  and  the  surren 
der  of  the  Spanish  army  of  occupation  to  the  forces  of  the  United 
States. 

"II.  The  commander  of  the  United  States  forces  now  in  possession 
has  instructions  from  his  government  to  assure  the  people  that  he  has 
not  come  to  wage  war  upon  them,  or  upon  any  part  or  faction  among 
them,  but  to  protect  them  in  their  homes,  in  their  employments,  and 
in  their  personal  and  religious  rights.  All  persons  who,  by  active  aid 
or  honest  submission,  co-operate  with  the  United  States  in  its  efforts 
to  give  effect  to  this  beneficent  purpose,  will  receive  the  reward  of  its 
support  and  protection. 

"III.  The  government  established  among  you  by  the  United  States 
is  a  government  of  military  occupation;  and  for  the  present  it  is  or 
dered  that  the  municipal,  laws  such  as  affect  private  rights  of  persons 
and  property,  regulate  local  institutions,  and  provide  for  the  punish 
ment  of  crime,  shall  be  considered  as  continuing  in  force,  so  far  as 
compatible  with  the  purposes  of  military  government,  and  that  they  be 
administered  through  the  ordinary  tribunals  substantially  as  before 
occupation,  but  by  officials  appointed  by  the  government  of  occupation. 

Duties  of  the  Provost  Guard. 

"IV.  A  provost-marshal-general  will  be  appointed  for  the  city  of 
Manila  and  its  outlying  districts.  This  territory  will  be  divided  into 
sub-districts,  and  there  will  be  assigned  to  each  a  deputy-provost- 
marshal.  The -duties  of  the  provost-marshal-general  and  his  deputies 
will  be  set  forth  in  detail  in  future  orders.  In  a  general  way  they  are 
charged  with  the  duty  of  making  arrests  of  military,  as  well  as  civil 
offenders,  sending  such  of  the  former  class  as  are  triable  by  courts-mar 
tial  to  their  proper  commands,  with  statements  of  their  offenses  and 
names  of  witnesses,  and  detaining  in  custody  all  other  offenders  for  trial 
by  military  commission,  provost  courts,  or  native  criminal  courts,  in  ac 
cordance  with  law  and  the  instructions  hereafter  to  be  issued. 


286  AGUINALDO,  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  FILIPINOS. 

"V.  The  port  of  Manila,  and  all  other  ports  and  places  in  the 
Philippines  which  may  be  in  the  actual  possession  of  our  land  and 
naval  forces,  will  be  open,  while  our  military  occupation  may  continue, 
to  the  commerce  of  all  neutral  nations  as  well  as  our  own  in  articles  not 
contraband  of  war,  and  upon  payment  of  the  prescribed  rates  of  duty 
which  may  be  in  force  at  the  time  of  the  importation. 

"VI.  All  churches  and  places  devoted  to  religious  worship  and 
to  the  arts  and  sciences,  all  educational  institutions,  libraries,  scientific 
collections,  and  museums  are,  so  far  as  possible,  to  be  protected;  and 
all  destruction  or  intentional  defacement  of  such  places  or  property, 
of  historical  monuments,  archives,  or  works  of  science  and  art,  is  pro 
hibited,  save  when  required  by  urgent  military  necessity.  Severe  pun 
ishment  will  be  meted  out  for  all  violations  of  this  regulation. 

"The  custodians  of  all  property  of  the  character  mentioned  in  this 
section  will  make  prompt  returns  thereof  to  these  headquarters,  stating 
character  and  location,  and  embodying  such  recommenda'tions  as  they 
may  think  proper  for  the  full  protection  of  the  properties  under  their 
care  and  custody,  that  proper  orders  may  issue  enjoining  the  co-opera 
tion  of  both  military  and  civil  authorities  in  securing  such  protection. 

"VI.  The  commanding  general,  in  announcing  the  establishment  of 
military  government,  and  in  entering  upon  his  duty  as  military  gover 
nor  in  pursuance  of  his  appointment  as  such  by  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  desires  to  assure  the  people  that  so  long  as  they  preserve 
the  peace  and  perform  their  duties  toward  the  representatives  of  the 
United  States  they  will  not  be  disturbed  in  their  persons  and  prop 
erty,  except  in  so  far  as  may  be  found  necessary  for  the  good  of  the 
service  of  the  United  States  and  the  benefit  of  the  people  of  the  Philip 
pines. 

"WESLEY  MERKITT, 
"Major-General,  United  States  Army,  Commanding." 

The  forces  of  the  United  States  were  in  possession  of  the  harbor  and 
city  of  Manila  and  the  adjacent  shores. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
FRICTION   BETWEEN  AMERICANS   AND   FILIPINOS. 

Complications  Are  Threatened  from  the  Beginning — The  Germans  and  the 
Insurgents — Affair  of  the  Steamer  Filipinas — Recognizing  the  Insur 
gent  Flag — How  Dewey  Dealt  with  Aguinaldo — Aguinaldo  and  His 
Forces  Required  to  Leave  Manila — Picturesque  March  Through  the 
City — Filipino  Congress  in  Session  at  Malolos. 

Although  the  open  rupture  in  peaceable  relations  between  Filipinos 
and  Americans  before  Manila  did  not  occur  till  months  later,  there  were 
frequent  incidents  in  the  earlier  weeks  of  the  American  occupation 
which  warned  all  parties  that  something  might  happen  at  almost  any 
time.  Even  before  the  army  came,  while  Dewey  was  entirely  in  charge 
of  the  situation,  some  things  required  deft  handling,  and  from  the 
moment  the  troops  arrived,  complications  began  to  multiply.  Some 
times  it  was  the  position  taken  by  the  Germans  which  threatened  diffi 
culty  and  sometimes  the  Filipinos  themselves  did  not  do  just  what  was 
needed  to  insure  harmony. 

The  Germans  and  the  Filipinos. 

Early  in  July  the  German  cruiser  Irene  stopped  the  insurgent 
steamer  Filipinas  and  threatened  to  bring  her  and  her  crew  to  Manila 
as  prisoners  if  she  did  not  haul  down  the  insurgent  flag  at  once  and  hoist 
a  white  flag.  The  Filipinas,  a  steamer  of  about  700  tons,  loaded  with  a 
half  cargo  of  tobacco,  was  in  hiding  in  the  coves  around  Subig  bay.  She 
was  owned  and  officered  by  Spaniards,  but  her  crew  was  a  native  one. 
The  crew  mutinied  and  killed  the  twelve  officers.  They  then  took  charge 
of  the  ship  and  hoisted  the  insurgent  flag. 

On  the  shore  of  Subig  bay,  and  chiefly  in  the  town  of  Subig,  were  400 
Spanish  soldiers.  As  the  insurgent  forces  on  the  land  began  to  close  in 
on  them  they  fled  in  a  body  to  the  Isla  de  Grande,  near  the  mouth  of 
Subig  bay.  They  took  with  them  100  sick  and  about  100  women.  They 

287 


288        FRICTION  BETWEEN  AMERICANS  AND   FILIPINOS. 

retained  their  small  arms  and  had  only  one  Maxim  gun.  The  insurgents 
hoped  to  starve  them  into  submission.  About  this  time  the  Filipinas 
incident  occurred,  whereby  she  passed  from  the  Spanish  to  the  insur 
gents.  Two  hundred  insurgent  soldiers  took  the  ship  and  approached 
the  island  and  fired  on  the  Spaniards.  Their  firing  was  ineffective,  but 
after  awhile  the  Spaniards,  probably  realizing  the  ultimate  hopelessness 
of  their  position,  hoisted  the  white  flag.  At  almost  the  same  time  the 
German  cruiser  approached  from  within  the  bay  and  the  Spaniards 
hauled  down  the  white  flag,  for  they  evidently  had  reason  to  hope  for 
interference  by  the  Germans.  The  German  ship  at  once  advanced  to  the 
Filipinas  and  said  that  the  flag  she  flew  was  not  recognized,  and  if  it 
were  not  at  once  hauled  down  and  a  white  one  substituted  she 
would  be  taken  with  her  crew  to  Manila  as  prisoners.  The  Filipinas  at 
once  hauled  down  the  insurgent  flag,  hoisted  the  white  one  and  started 
immediately  south  to  Manila  bay.  All  this  happened  July  6.  She  ar 
rived  off  the  American  flagship  late  in  the  evening  and  the  insurgents  at 
once  reported  the  matter  to  the  admiral. 

Admiral  Dewey  sent  the  insurgent  ship  into  a  safe  anchorage.  At  12 
O'clock  midnight  the  Raleigh  and  Concord  quietly  hove  up  their  anchors 
and  left  the  bay.  They  steamed  at  once  to  Subig  bay  and  fired  several 
times  on  the  Spaniards,  who  promptly  surrendered.  The  Irene  had  dis 
appeared  just  before  our  cruisers  arrived,  although  she  had  been  in 
Subig  bay  for  several  days  for  the  expressed  purpose  of  protecting  Ger 
man  interests  said  to  be  located  there.  The  Concord  then  returned  to 
report  to  Admiral  Dewey  and  find  out  what  should  be  done  with  the 
COO  Spaniards  captured.  The  Raleigh  remained  at  Subig  on  guard.  Dur 
ing  the  Tth  the  insurgent  leader,  Mr.  Leyba,  came  out  to  the  flagship  for 
permission  to  take  the  Filipinas  and  go  to  Subig  for  the  purpose  of  cap 
turing  the  island.  The  admiral  told  him  that  it  had  already  been  done. 
Leyba  went  aboard  the  Filipinas  with  a  strong  force  of  men  and  left  the 
harbor. 

The  Concord,  when  she  returned  to  report  the  matter  to  the  admiral, 
bore  a  letter  from  Captain  Coghlan  of  the  Raleigh  begging  that  the 
Spaniards  captured  be  made  American  prisoners,  and  that  they  be  not 
turned  over  to  the  insurgents,  as  Admiral  Dewey's  original  orders  de 
manded.  The  Concord  was  sent  back  with  instructions  to  turn  the  pris 
oners  over  to  Aguinaldo,  but  he  exacted  an  ironclad  promise  that  they 
should  be  well  cared  for. 


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FRICTION  BETWEEN  AMERICANS   AND   FILIPINOS.         291 


Germans  Appear  Unfriendly. 

This  Irene  incident  was  of  the  most  absorbing  interest  to  Americans. 
It  was  the  first  open  move  on  the  part  of  Germany  to  interfere  in 
affairs  about  Manila,  and  opinions  differ  very  much  as  to  her  right  to  go 
so  far  as  she  did.  Strictly  according  to  international  law,  the  Irene  was 
right  in  treating  the  insurgent  steamer  as  a  pirate.  Germany  had  not 
recognized  the  belligerency  of  the  insurgent  cause,  had  no  official  recog 
nition  of  the  flag,  and  might,  under  many  circumstances,  be  right  in 
stopping  a  ship  with  an  unknown  flag.  But  the  circumstances  in  the 
case  were  peculiar.  The  Germans  were  allowed  to  remain  in  Manila 
bay  through  the  courtesy  of  Admiral  Dewey.  They  knew  that  the 
waters  around  Luzon  were  practically  American  waters.  They  knew 
very  well  that  the  insurgent  flag  wras  flying  with  the  acquiescence  of  the 
admiral,  and  that  the  insurgents  had  been  carrying  on  extensive  opera 
tions  around  the  island  with  small  steamers  flying  their  own  flag. 

Assuming  that  the  Germans  were  permitted,  under  strict  construc 
tion  of  international  law,  to  stop  the  insurgent  steamer  and  make  her  fly 
a  white  flag,  their  action  under  existing  circumstances  was  one  of  delib 
erate  unfriendliness  to  the  Americans.  Whether  it  was  proper  for  the 
insurgent  flag  to  fly  in  the  Philippines  exclusively  concerned  the  Amer 
icans,  and  such  questions  of  propriety  were  for  Admiral  Dewey  to 
decide. 

This  same  point  recalls  an  incident  in  which  recognition  of  the  insur 
gent  flag  was  involved.  The  French  and  German  ships  refused  to  allow 
insurgent  launches  to  come  beside  their  ships.  One  day  the  Spaniards, 
looking  out  from  Manila,  saw  one  of  them  stop  at  the  English  ship  Im- 
mortalite  and  the  occupants  go  aboard.  They  at  once  sent  out  a  hurried 
protest.  Why  was  the  launch  allowed  to  land  on  the  English  ship? 
They  construed  the  action  to  imply  a  recognition  of  the  insurgents'  bel 
ligerency.  They  demanded  an  explanation.  Captain  Chicester  at  once 
sent  word  back  that  he  knew  his  business,  and  referred  them  to  Admiral 
Dewey. 

The  action  of  the  Irene  had  another  significance.  For  several  oTays 
there  had  been  persistent  rumors  that  Aguinaldo  and  the  Germans 
were  intriguing.  Aguinaldo,  it  is  claimed,  was  anxious  that  Germany 
should  recognize  his  belligerency.  That  two  German  officers  called  on 


FRICTION   BETWEEN   AMERICANS   AND   FILIPINOS. 

Aguinaldo  gave  some  show  of  truth  to  the  rumors.  It  was  evident  from 
the  Irene  incident  that  their  negotiations  were  not  effective,  and  it 
looked  very  much  as  if  the  Filipinos  had  been  stopped  by  the  Germans 
because  Aguinaldo  refused  to  accept  the  Germans'  terms.  If  Germany 
had  recognized  Aguinaldo's  belligerency  and  the  rebels  had  captured  the 
city,  there  would  have  resulted  no  end  of  delicate  complications. 

How  Dewey  Dealt  with  Aguinaldo. 

When  Admiral  Dewey  wanted  anything  from  Aguiiialdo  he  always 
got  it,  and  if  the  insurgents  did  anything  that  didn't  please  the  admiral 
the  latter  promptly  and  emphatically  called  them  down. 

Admiral  Dewey  never  wrote  a  single  communication  to  Aguinaldo, 
sending  all  his  messages  orally,  and  he  advised  that  the  military  com 
manders  should  follow  the  same  course.  General  Anderson,  however, 
wrote  several  communications,  and  there  sprang  up  a  number  of  written 
clashes  between  him  and  Aguiualdo.  General  Anderson  finally  declared 
that  further  arrangements  should  be  deferred  until  the  arrival  of  Gen 
eral  Merritt,  who  would  have  full  instructions  regarding  the  relations 
between  America  and  the  insurgents. 

Major  Jones,  brigade  quartermaster,  went  to  see  Aguinaldo  July  17 
in  Bakor,  and  found  it  impossible  to  get  an  audience.  In  response  to 
the  first  request  to  see  him  word  was  returned  that  the  general 
was  busy.  After  some  time  the  major  once  more  requested  an  inter 
view,  and  this  time  was  told  that  the  general  was  asleep.  Major  Jones 
then  sat  down  and  wrote  a  note  that  burned  the  paper.  lie  said  that 
in  America,  when  a  commanding  officer  was  asleep  or  could  not  be 
seen,  there  was  a  subordinate  who  would  transact  business  for  him. 
He  had  come  over  to  get  500  ponies,  and  he  had  expected  the  Filipinos 
would  assist  him  to  obtain  them.  The  Americans  had  come  to  drive 
the  Spaniards  out  of  the  islands.  They  were  the  friends  of  the  Fili 
pinos,  and  expected  to  give  them  a  good  government.  Aguinaldo  sent 
over  soon  afterward,  asking  if  this  was  an  official  communication,  and 
was  told  by  General  Anderson  that  it  was.  Aguinaldo  then  sent  back 
a  polite  note,  saying  that  he  was  ready  and  eager  to  give  the  Americans 
any  assistance  possible,  but  that  he  did  not  have  the  ponies  that  Major 
Jones  wanted.  He  closed  his  letter  by  expressing  friendship  for  the 
Americans,  for,  as  he  put  it,  were  they  not  going  to  drive  the  Spaniards 


FRICTION  BETWEEN  AMERICANS   AND   FILIPINOS.         293 

out  of  the  island  and  turn  the  government  over  to  the  Filipinos.  Gen 
eral  Anderson,  in  answer  to  this,  said  that  he  did  not  understand  it 
that  way. 

Aguinaldo  Wants  His  Status  Denned. 

From  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  land  forces,  Aguinaldo  had  been 
anxious  to  know  what  share  in  the  battle  of  Manila  wrould  be  allowed  the 
insurgents.  He  was  reluctant  to  be  put  aside,  and  resented  the  request 
that  he  evacuate  his  trenches  and  permit  American  soldiers  to  take 
position  there.  After  that  time,  when  he  and  his  government  were 
refused  any  part  in  the  direction  of  affairs  in  Manila  and  his  army 
was  turned  ba.ck  when  endeavoring  to  enter  the  city  with  the  victorious 
Americans,  he  became  more  restless  under  the  restraint  and  complica 
tions  began  to  arise. 

Correspondent  John  T.  McCutcheon  relates  graphically  the  condi 
tions  as  they  existed  up  to  and  including  the  withdrawal  of  the  Filipino 
forces  from  the  vicinity  of  the  city  of  Manila.  He  says  in  part: 

"When  the  Americans  entered  the  city  the  insurgents  swarmed  in 
after  them,  looting  and  pillaging.  They  established  armed  barracks 
on  the  Calle  Real  in  Malate  and  extensive  headquarters  in  the  Calle 
Obscrvatio.  The  chief  work  of  the  Americans  began  with  the  pres 
ence  of  the  insurgents.  The  Americans  and  Spanish  were  practically 
allied  to  prevent  the  insurgents  getting  into  the  city.  Then  came  an 
order  prohibiting  insurgents  entering  the  city  armed,  and  a  force  of 
about  300  were  disarmed  by  the  Americans.  This  aroused  considerable 
feeling,  and  it  was  noticed  that  Aguinaldo,  who  still  had  possession  of 
the  water  works,  refused  to  let  the  water  in  the  city.  There  then  fol 
lowed  a  long  parley  of  negotiation,  in  which  Aguinaldo  demonstrated 
that  his  rights  as  governor-general  were  just  about  the  same  as  those 
of  General  Hewitt.  The  latter  had  the  city,  but  the  former  had  the 
country.  It  must  have  been  rather  humiliating  for  the  American  gov 
ernor  to  find  himself  in  a  position  where  he  could  not  direct  affairs  a 
half-mile  beyond  the  city  limits. 

Filipino  Leader  Demands  Consideration. 

"In  securing  the  water  works,  a,  number  of  Aguinaldo's  demands 
had  to  be  satisfied.  He  sent  in  several  conditions  which  had  to  be  ful- 


294         FRICTION  BETWEEN  AMERICANS   AND   FILIPINOS. 

filled.  Among  them  was  that  his  troops  should  have  control  and  sur 
veillance  of  the  water  works,  and  as  long  as  the  Americans  remained 
the  water  should  be  supplied  through  his  indulgence,  but  as  soon  as  the 
Americans  left,  if  the  islands  were  to  be  relinquished  or  given  back  to 
Spain,  he  wanted  to  be  in  a  condition  to  renew  the  conflict  against  the 
Spanish  with  the  same  advantages  as  he  had  before  the  Americans 
came  into  the  city.  For  the  same  reason  he  demanded  that  the  troops 
be  allow-ed  to  retain  their  arms  until  it  wras  definitely  decided  that  the 
Spanish  had  forever  and  beyond  doubt  been  banished  from  control  of 
the  Philippines.  He  also  wanted  a  specified  number  of  convents  within 
the  city  to  quarter  his  troops  in,  he  wanted  the  Spanish  police  whom 
Merritt  had  retained  relieved  from  duty,  and  he  wanted  definite  lines 
established  within  which  the  Americans  were  to  control  and  beyond 
which  he  was  to  control.  He  demanded  that  the  officers  be  allowed 
to  wear  their  sidearms  when  entering  the  city,  that  he  himself  be  given 
the  governor-general's  summer  palace  at  Malacanan,  now  occupied  by 
General  Merritt,  and  that  all  the  products  of  Filipino  labor  be  allowed 
to  leave  the  islands  free  of  duty. 

Where  the  Insurgents  Were  in  Control. 

"Some  of-  these  demands  were  preposterous,  but  some  were  reason 
able  and  logical.  He  had  a  right  to  ask  the  retention  of  his  arms  as 
long  as  the  ultimate  position  of  the  islands  was  in  doubt,  so  that  if  the 
Spaniards  ever  regain  control  he  will  be  prepared  to  renew  his  fight. 
The  result  of  his  other  conditions  is  in  doubt.  It  is  merely  known  that 
outside  Manila  Aguinaldo's  troops  are  supreme,  and  that  in  some  quar 
ters  Americans  are  prohibited  from  going.  He  also  has  two  strong 
barracks  within  the  city  limits,  with  big  bodies  of  armed  troops. 
Within  a  mile  of  General  MacArthur's  headquarters  it  is  estimated 
that  there  are  at  least  4,000  armed  Filipinos.  He  also  retains  control 
of  the  water  works,  but  allows  them  to  be  operated.  He  has  not  been 
given  a  palace  in  the  city,  and  it  is  not  thought  that  his  products  will 
be  exempt  from  duty.  The  Guardia  Civil,  which  is  the  local  constabu 
lary,  composed  of  men  who  have  served  at  least  eight  years  in  the 
Spanish  army  and  are  past  masters  of  every  form  of  corruption  and 
extortion  which  their  long  post-graduate  course  has  taught  and  fitted 
them  for,  are  relieved  and  Americans  assigned  to  take  their  places.  So 


FRICTION   BETWEEN  AMERICANS   AND   FILIPINOS.         295 

the  matter  rests,  and  will  probably  remain  this  way  until  the  disposi 
tion  of  the  islands  is  determined." 

When  General  Otis  sent  word  to  the  insurgents  that  they  must 
withdraw  their  forces  from  Manila  and  its  suburbs  there  was  a  settled 
conviction  that  trouble  would  result.  The  time  limit  was  set  at  Sep 
tember  15,  and  as  this  time  drew  near  and  no  movement  was  manifest 
in  the  native  barracks  the  American  lines  were  strengthened  and 
preparations  made  for  the  encounter  which  then  seemed  unavoidable. 
On  the  14th,  however,  it  was  stated  on  official  authority  that  the  in 
surgent  generals  had  agreed  to  move  out  of  the  city  and  to  vacate 
the  convents  and  private  houses  that  they  had  appropriated  for  their 
military  uses.  They  had  gone  to  General  Otis,  and  after  a  long  con 
sultation  this  peaceful  solution  of  the  difficulty  had  been  reached. 

With  practical  unanimity  the  leaders  protested  that  they  were 
entirely  friendly  to  the  American  forces  and  that  they  did  not  desire 
to  do  anything  which  would  appear  unfriendly.  They  would  willingly 
withdraw  their  troops  from  the  city  provided  some  assurance  were 
given  them  that  if  the  Americans  left  the  Philippines  they,  the  in 
surgents,  would  be  left  in  as  strong  positions  as  they  had  occupied 
before  the  city  was  surrendered.  Another  point  was  brought  forward 
very  strongly  which  they  said  they  were  exceedingly  concerned  in  know 
ing.  This  was  whether  or  not  the  Spaniards  would  be  placed  in  their 
former  defenses  and  given  the  arms  that  had  been  surrendered,  and 
whether  the  relative  positions  of  the  Spanish  and  insurgent  forces 
would  be  established  as  they  wrere  before  the  city  was  surrendered. 

Ruling  Made  by  Major-General  E.  S,  Otis. 

General  Otis  told  them  that  if  the  Americans  left  the  Philippines 
the  Spaniards  would  be  restored  to  their  defensive  positions  and  their 
arms  given  them.  This  did  not  please  the  insurgents,  but  they  agreed 
that  such  an  action  would  be  just  and  was  to  be  expected.  Some  of 
them,  notably  General  Pio  del  Pilar,  a  fire-eater  who  had  command 
of  the  forces  at  Paco,  showed  a  keen  resentment  against  being  sent 
out  of  the  city,  and  it  was  thought  for  a  time  that  General  Pilar  would 
rebel  against  the  acquiescence  of  the  majority.  At  noon  on  the  14th 
there  was  great  activity  among  the  insurgents.  Officers  were  riding 
around  and  numbers  of  troops  were  centralizing  in  the  different 


296         FRICTION   BETWEEN  AMERICANS   AND   FILIPINOS. 

outlying  districts.  Even  then  it  was  a  doubtful  matter  whether  or 
not  they  were  to  retire  peacefully  or  whether  a  few  of  the  rebellious 
hot-headed  commanders  would  refuse  to  abide  by  the  verdict  of  the 
majority. 

A  request  was  made  by  them  of  the  American  general  command 
ing  the  Malate  and  Erniite  division  that  they  be  permitted  to  march 
up  the  Luneta  with  their  arms  and  pass  along  the  ground  where  the 
Spaniards  used  to  shoot  the  Filipinos.  It  was  a  pretty  sentiment  and 
General  Ovenshine  gave  his  consent. 

When  the  Filipinos  Left  Manila. 

The  story  of  the  evacuation  is  related  by  Mr.  McCutcheon  as  follows: 
"At  5:30,  out  of  the  Calle  Keal  in  Ermita  appeared  an  officer  on  a 
fiery  native  pony.  lie  was  Colonel  Callais,  one  of  the  ablest  officers 
in  the  entire  insurgent  army,  a  man  whose  whole  soul  was  in  the  cause, 
who  is  well  educated  and  a  fine  strategist,  and  who  has  a  nobility  of 
bearing  that  marks  him  a  soldier  and  a  man  of  high  qualities.  Close 
at  the  heels  of  his  pony  came  the  magnificent  Pasig  band,  composed 
entirely  of  native  musicians  and  numbering  niiiet}^  pieces.  Every  man 
was  in  uniform  and  the  piece  they  played  was  a  stirring  wild  native 
march  that  set  the  horses  to  prancing  and  every  one  who  listened 
tingling  with  enthusiasm.  Then  came  the  troops,  hundreds  and  hun 
dreds  of  them,  all  in  blue  drilling  and  every  man  with  his  rifle.  There 
were  over  six  hundred  of  them  and  the  picture  their  bright  uniforms 
made  as  the  columns  of  four  wheeled  out  of  the  Calle  Real,  down  the 
Calle  San  Luis,  with  the  bands  playing  and  the  horses  tearing  back 
and  forth,  was  one  never  to  be  forgotten.  Throngs  of  people  watched 
the  long  lines  march  by.  There  was  something  pathetic  about  the  whole 
incident,  for  they  were  being  driven  out  of  the  city  which  they  had 
fought  so  long  to  get  into,  and  even  though  their  presence  within  the 
American  lines  was  a  constant  menace  and  their  withdrawal  absolutely 
necessary  one  could  not  help  feeling  sorry  for  them. 

"Down  the  Calle  San  Luis  they  marched,  then  down  the  Paco  road 
toward  the  walled  city,  to  the  Calle  Bagumbayan,  and  then  began  their 
triumphal  march  past  the  walls  of  old  Manila,  where  the  ramparts 
were  thronged  with  Spanish  prisoners  watching  the  departure  of  their 
enemies.  This  was  the  nearest  that  a  rebel  flag  had  ever  approached 


FRICTION   BETWEEN  AMERICANS   AND   FILIPINOS.         297 

the  walled  city,  and  it  must  have  been  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  the 
insurgents  to  show  their  strength  to  their  hated  oppressors  by  parading 
right  under  the  ancient  walls.  Scores  of  carriages  were  drawn  up 
along  the  line  of  march,  and  many  of  them  contained  Spanish  officers. 

American  Soldiers  Cheer  Filipinos. 

"The  Wyoming  soldiers  lined  up  and  cheered  the  insurgents  as  they 
marched  by  the  Wyoming  barracks,  and  it  sounded  strange  to  hear  one 
force  cheering  another  which  the  day  before  was  looked  on  as  half  an 
enemy.  It  was  a  good  thing,  however,  and  it  made  the  insurgents 
feel  good. 

"Swinging  from  the  Calle  Bagurnbayan,  which  circles  the  eastern 
and  southern  sides  of  the  walled  city,  the  departing  native  troops 
turned  down  the  Lunetta  and  straight  on  out  the  Calle  Real,  never 
stopping  until  they  left  the  suburbs  far  behind.  Over  in  Tondo  and  in 
Paco  and  in  Sampaloc  and  in  the  other  suburbs  where  the  insurgents 
had  massed  this  scene  was  being  repeated,  although  not  writh  such  a 
show  nor  with  so  many  bands.  In  the  twenty-four  hours  of  September 
14  over  four  thousand  armed  insurgents  marched  out  of  the  city,  and, 
although  many  of  them  returned  later,  they  were  unarmed  and  in  con 
sequence  welcome  to  stay  as  long  as  they  chose. 

"General  Otis  conducted  the  arrangements  for  the  departure  of  the 
insurgents  very  skillfully,  for  it  was  a  delicate  situation  and  an  ill- 
advised  move  might  have  thrown  the  two  forces  into  active  conflict. 

"The  next  day  (September  15)  marked  the  opening  of  the  congress 
of  the  Philippine  revolutionary  government  at  Malolos.  This  town  is 
thirty-eight  kilometers  north  of  Manila,  and  it  is  the  place  where 
Aguinaldo  has  set  up  his  government.  Several  Americans  attended  the 
opening.  The  train  from  Manila  was  jammed  with  natives,  and  a  great 
many  prominent  Philippine  merchants  and  lawyers  were  on  board. 
About  eighty  representatives  from  different  parts  of  the  Philippine 
islands  were  in  Malolos  to  represent  their  various  districts.  The  town 
was  decorated  with  insurgent  flags  of  all  colors.  Any  design  that  re 
motely  approached  the  red  and  blue  of  the  true  flag  was  made  to  serve, 
and  every  nipa  hut  had  its  rudely  fashioned  flag  floating  out  from  the 
banana  and  palm  trees.  Congress  was  held  in  a  church.  The  first 
session  was  short  and  not  imposing. 


298        FRICTION   BETWEEN  AMERICANS   AND   FILIPINOS. 

The  Filipino  Congress  in  Session. 

"Aguinaldo,  in  swallow  tail  and  a  dazzling  shirt  front,  called  the 
meeting  to  order,  read  his  address  and  then  retired.  The  session  was 
adjourned  until  the  following  day,  and  time  given  the  members  to  dis 
cuss  the  articles  of  the  new  constitution.  Through  the  courtesy  of 
Aguinaldo  the  American  newspaper  men,  Consul  Williams  and  several 
other  Americans  were  given  an  abundant  luncheon.  Speeches  were 
made  by  prominent  members  of  the  congress  and  every  expression  of 
friendship  was  made.  It  was  hard  to  realize  that  the  day  before  the 
American  forces  had  thrust  the  insurgents  out  of  the  city  of  Manila. 

"There  were  loud  'Vivos  Americanos,'  and  the  guests  were  made  to 
feel  that  they  were  among  friends.  No  people  are  more  hospitable 
than  the  Filipinos.  At  one  time  during  the  luncheon  a  Spaniard  from 
Manila,  who  was  connected  with  a  business  house  there,  was  arrested 
on  the  street  near  where  the  Americans  were  located  for  attempting 
to  arouse  public  feeling  against  the  Americans.  He  had  been  circu 
lating  wild  stories,  tending  to  inflame  the  more  ignorant  natives  against 
the  visitors,  but  the  insurgent  leaders  ordered  his  immediate  arrest. 
The  Pasig  band  was  in  Malolos,  and  the  city  looked  gala  in  the  extreme. 

"Aguinaldo  was  quartered  in  an  old  convent,  which  had  been  con 
verted  into  a  place  of  considerable  grandeur.  Here  he  received  dele 
gates  and  friends  with  that  serene,  implacable  look  which  is  so  peculiar 
to  him." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 

An  Appeal  from  the  Junta  Patriotica  at  Hong  Kong  to  the  American  People 
— Charges  of  Bad  Faith — General  Merritt's  Opinion  of  the  Filipinos — 
General  Otis  Tries  to  Secure  the  Release  of  Spanish  Prisoners  Held  by 
the  Insurgents — Our  Expedition  to  Iloilo — President  McKinley's  In 
structions  to  the  American  Authorities  in  Manila — A  Manifesto  from 
Aguinaldo — The  Filipino  Cabinet — Agoncillo  in  Washington — Presi 
dent  McKinley  Appoints  a  Commission. 

Looking  forward  to  the  securing  of  the  best  conditions  possible  for 
his  country,  Aguinaldo  lost  no  time  in  sending  a  commissioner  to 
Washington  to  represent  the  Filipinos.  Seiior  Felipe  Agoncillo  was 
assigned  to  this  important  mission,  and  he  journeyed  to  San  Francisco 
by  the  same  steamer  which  carried  General  Greene.  General  Merritt 
at  the  same  time  started  for  Paris  to  be  present  at  the  meeting  of  the 
treaty  commissioners  there. 

Owing  to  the  American  censorship  of  the  cable  at  Manila,  the  Aguin 
aldo  government  maintained  an  office  and  organization  in  Hong  Kong, 
where,  free  from  restraint,  the  members  of  the  Junta  Patriotica  could 
take  such  action  as  they  saw  fit  to  support  the  revolutionists  in  the 
islands. 

The  Junta  issued  from  Hong  Kong  an  appeal  to  Americans  which 
recited  the  complaints  and  grievances  of  the  Filipinos,  and  begged  for 
redress.  Many  of  the  allegations,  however,  were  overdrawD 

Filipinos  Appeal  to  Americans. 

This  appeal,  issued  November  15,  1898,  was  as  follows: 
"We,  the  Hong  Kong  representatives  of  our  countrymen,  appeal  to 
the  great  and  good  judgment  of  President  McKinley  and  the  spirit  of 
fairness  and  justice  of  the  American  people  as  always  shown  in  their 
regard  for  the  petitions  of  the  weak  and  oppressed. 

299 


300  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN   GOVERNMENT. 

"While  the  fate  of  the  islands  is  still  undecided,  and  we  are  doing 
all  in  our  power  to  prevent  a  conflict  between  the  Americans  and  Fili 
pinos — waiting  patiently  for  the  conclusion  of  the  Paris  conference— 
we  implore  the  intervention  of  the  President,  supported  by  the  will 
of  the  people,  to  end  the  slights  shown  our  leaders,  officials,  soldiers 
and  people  by  some  of  the  American  military  and  naval  authorities  and 
soldiers. 

"We  do  not  wish  to  do  Admiral  Dewey  or  General  Otis  wrong,  but 
we  presume  that  reports,  under  press  censorship,  will  be,  as  they  have 
been,  sent  broadcast,  alleging  that  all  the  mistakes  are  ours  and  that 
the  Americans  are  treating  us  most  kindly.  But  we  must  tell  the  truth 
for  the  best  interests  of  both  parties,  depending  upon  the  American 
President  and  people  to  see  that  justice  is  done  to  our  leaders, 
Aguinaldo  especially,  having  full  confidence  in  ultimately  receiving  jus 
tice  from  America. 

Pertinent  Questions  to  be  Answered. 

"What  have  we  done  that  we  should  experience  unfriendly  treat, 
ment?  Are  the  Americans  our  friends?  The  tension  becomes  greater 
daily,  and  any  moment  a  shot  may  be  fired  by  an  irresponsible  Amer 
ican  or  Filipino  soldier.  And  the  flame  thus,  started  can  only  be 
quenched  with  blood  dear  to  us  both. 

"We  beseech  the  American  President  and  people  to  help  us  to 
control  our  own  people  by  directing  the  officials  at  Manila  to  temper 
their  actions  with  friendship,  justice  and  fairness. 

"Wre  suggest  that  Admiral  Dewey  and  General  Otis  and  General 
Merritt,  in  Paris,  be  asked: 

"If,  from  the  commencement  of  hostilities  to  the  present  time,  have 
not  Aguinaldo  and  the  Filipinos  under  him  acceded  to  every  request  of 
the  American  officials? 

"When  Manila  was  captured,  although  the  Filipinos  had  driven 
the  Spaniards  into  Manila,  completely  investing  the  city  and  occupying 
some  of  the  roads  commanding  in  part  the  approaches  to  Manila,  in 
advance  of  the  Americans,  were  Filipinos  not  entirely  ignored  and 
even  not  notified  of  the  intention  to  attack,  or  of  the  time  or  part  they 
were  expected  to  play,  even  if  such  was  to  stand  aside? 

"When  the  Filipinos,  seeing  the  intention  to  attack,  went  to  the 


FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT.  301 

assistance  of  the  Americans,  were  they  not  stopped  by  an  armed  body 
and  faced  about,  instead  of  being  informed  by  friendly,  peaceful 
request  that  they  were  not  wanted?  This  unexpected  action  would 
have  placed  the  Americans  between  two  fires,  Spanish  and  Filipino, 
if  shots  had  been  exchanged  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  had  not 
then  the  Filipinos  restrained  themselves  and  obeyed  the  Americans, 
although  deprived  of  the  fruits  of  victory  and  participation  in  the  final 
triumph  after  fighting  all  the  way  to  the  very  walls  and  bearing  the 
brunt  of  three  months'  campaign. 

Spirit  Shown  by  Filipinos. 

"After  remaining  a  month  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  where  we 
had  been  stopped,  quietly,  as  a  garrison,  we  were  ordered  away.  Did 
not  we  cheerfully  obey,  although  having  no  assurances  that  the  Amer 
icans  would  not  give  back  the  Manila  posts,  vacated,  to  the  Spanish? 
When  located  for  several  months  still  farther  out,  we  were  ordered 
even  beyond  the  suburbs  of  the  city,  where  no  quarters  nor  shelter 
existed  for  troops  and  where  supplies  were  difficult  to  obtain,  did  not 
we  obey? 

"Can  the  cruel  allegations  that  we  would  murder,  loot,  steal  and 
commit  incendiarism  if  given  a  free  hand  be  supported,  when  we  con 
ducted  a  campaign  throughout  Luzon,  capturing  all  the  important 
points  outside  of  Manila  and  taking  and  treating  humanely  a  thousand 
Spanish  prisoners  without  being  guilty  of  such  acts,  beyond  what  ac 
companies  any  military  campaign,  as  the  work  of  irresponsible  camp- 
followers? 

"We  beg  that  the  American  officials  be  asked  also  if  all  the  Ameri 
cans  visiting  the  Filipinos'  headquarters  at  Malolos,  traveling  in  the 
interior,  visiting  the  camps  and  lines  or  seeking  favors  of  our  officials, 
were  not  uniformly  politely  treated? 

Puzzles  to  be  Solved. 

"In  a  friendly  manner  we  invite  the  consideration  of  other  points. 
Groundless  and  harmful  rumors  are  being  constantly  circulated  by 
Spanish  sympathizers  and  malcontents,  which  are  often  believed  with 
out  investigation.  Our  protests  are  not  heard. 


302  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 

"All  our  launches  were  seized  because  of  foolish  rumors  that  we 
would  attack  the  Americans.  We  asked  for  an  explanation  in  seek 
ing  their  recovery,  and  were  not  even  given  an  answer. 

"Our  enemies  were  delighted,  thus  encouraging  further  rumors. 

"Should  not  some  logical  reason,  other  than  mere  report,  be  given 
for  suddenly  seizing  our  property  in  Manila? 

"The  Spaniards,  the  late  enemies  of  the  Americans,  are  shown 
every  consideration,  and  the  Filipinos,  friends  and  allies,  are  often 
treated  as  enemies.  Does  this  satisfy  American  ideas  of  justice?  The 
Filipino  people  cannot  understand  it,  although  their  leaders  tell  them 
not  to  protest  and  that  all  will  end  well. 

"We  are  asked  by  the  Americans  to  restrain  our  people  and  avoid 
any  outbreak  pending  the  decision  of  the  peace  commission.  This 
we  gladly  do.  But  we  beg  that  similar  instructions  be  given  to  the 
Americans  by  the  Washington  government. 

"From  the  beginning  of  our  relations,  when  Aguinaldo  was  urged 
in  Singapore  and  Hong  Kong  to  return  to  Cavite  and  assist  the  Amer 
icans,  until  Manila  fell,  we  acted  under  the  advice  and  with  the  knowl 
edge  of  the  American  officials.  During  that  time  we  conquered  all  of 
Luzon  outside  of  Manila  and  were  informally  recognized  and  encour 
aged  by  the  Americans.  When  Manila  was  captured  their  chief  end 
was  attained,  we  were  no  longer  recognized  and  were  even  treated  as 
untrustworthy.  Is  this  just? 

Washington  Administration  Blamed. 

"We  can  only  attribute  this  sudden  change  from  friendly  encour 
agement  and  co-operation  to  an  order  from  Washington  to  the  officials 
at  Manila  to  avoid  compromising  the  American  government  by  any 
recognition  of  the  Filipinos  or  their  government.  They  have  endeav 
ored  to  carry  out  these  instructions  literally,  believing  it  the  proper 
course  to  ignore  the  Filipinos  entirely,  losing  sight  of  their  former 
friendly  intercourse  and  assistance  and  of  the  assurances  the  American 
officials  made  to  our  leader  Aguinaldo,  who  in  turn  communicated  the 
same  to  his  followers. 

"In  concluding  our  humble  but  earnest  appeal  to  the  President  and 
the  people  of  the  great  American  Republic  we  wish  to  emphasize  our 
absolute  confidence  in  him  and  them;  to  make  it  plain  that  our  protests 


FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT.  303 

lire  not  prompted  by  any  feeling  of  animosity,  but  are  directed  against 
the  conditions  existing  at  Manila,  and  not  against  the  American  gov 
ernment  or  people;  to  acknowledge  our  gratitude  to  the  American  arms 
for  destroying  Spanish  power  in  the  Philippines  and  permitting  the 
return  of  Aguinaldo,  and  to  express  the  hope  that  America  will  stand 
by  her  determination  not  to  return  the  islands  to  Spain. 

"We  await  the  arbitrament  of  the  peace  commission,  for  whose 
good  judgment  we  have  profound  respect,  with  even  greater  interest 
than  the  Americans,  because  it  concerns  our  native  land,  our  -happi 
ness,  our  freedom  and  our  homes. 

"In  the  meantime  we  pray  for  peace  and  a  perfect  understanding 
with  the  Americans." 

Major  General  Merritt  on  the  Filipinos. 

By  this  time  General  Merritt  was  in  London  on  his  way  to  the 
United  States  and  he  read  with  a  great  deal  of  interest  the  long 
letter  of  complaint  against  American  officials  in  the  Philippine  islands 
addressed  by  the  Filipino  junta  of  Hong  Kong  to  President  McKinley 
and  the  people.  In  discussing  the  Filipinos,  the  American  general 
referred  to  them  as  "children,"  and  said  it  would  be  impossible  to 
establish  American  government  in  the  islands.  lie  added  that  they 
must  have  some  form  of  colonial  government  similar  to  the  British 
colonial  governments. 

Regarding  the  complaints  of  the  Filipinos  the  general  said: 

"It  was  impossible  to  recognize  the  insurgents,  and  I  made  it  a 
point  not  to  do  so,  as  I  knew  it  would  lead  to  complications.  Admiral 
Dewey  after  my  arrival  pursued  the  same  course.  What  was  done 
before  is  not  for  me  to  comment  on.  I  purposely  did  not  recognize 
Aguinaldo  or  his  troops,  nor  did  I  use  them  in  any  way.  Aguinaldo 
did  not  ask  to  see  me  until  ten  days  after  my  arrival.  After  that  I  was 
too  much  occupied  to  see  him. 

"In  talking  with  leading  Filipinos  I  told  them  the  United  States 
had  no  promises  to  make,  but  that  they  might  be  assured  that  the 
government  and  people  of  the  United  States  would  treat  them  fairly. 
This  was  because  the  United  States  is  in  the  habit  of  dealing  fairly 
with  all  struggling  peoples,  and  not  because  J  had  been  authorized 
to  say  anything  of  the  kind. 


304  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 


Criticisms  on  Aguinaldo. 

"We  purposely  did  not  give  the  insurgents  notice  of  our  attack  on 
Manila  because  we  did  not  need  their  co-operation  and  did  not  pur 
pose  to  have  it.  We  were  moved  by  fear  that  they  might  loot  and 
plunder  and  possibly  murder.  Aguinaldo's  subordinate  leaders,  in  con 
versing  with  American  officers,  frequently  said  they  intended  to  cut 
the  throats  of  all  the  Spaniards  in  Manila. 

"Aguinaldo  himself  wrote  a  complaining  letter  saying  the  insur 
gents  had  been  denied  'their  share  of  the  booty,'  whatever  he  may  have 
meant  by  that.  I  took  no  notice  of  this  letter,  nor  do  I  think  the  sub 
ject  now  raised  is  a  matter  for  discussion  between  Aguinaldo  and  any 
representative  of  the  American  government." 

General  Otis,  then  the  commander  of  the  American  forces  in  the 
Philippines,  proposed  to  Aguinaldo  that  he  release  the  friars  and  civil 
ians  held  in  captivity  throughout  the  provinces.  The  insurgent  leader 
denied  their  maltreatment  and  refused  to  release  the  prisoners,  claim 
ing  that  the  civilians  had  enlisted  as  volunteers  and  therefore  were 

O 

legitimate  prisoners  of  war.  Aguinaldo  also  denied  that  women  and 
children  were  detained,  but  said  some  women  and  children  had  volun 
tarily  accompanied  their  husbands  or  fathers  into  captivity. 

As  to  the  friars,  Aguinaldo  argued  that  they  are  prohibited  by 
the  pope  from  accepting  parochial  appointments;  that  they  are  only 
permitted  to  follow  monastic  life,  and  that  the  parishes  are  intrusted 
to  ministers  of  the  independent  monastic  orders.  But,  he  added,  the 
Philippine  clericals  have  deliberately  and  systematically  deceived  the 
pope,  pretending  that  the  country  was  barbarous,  unfit  for  the  regular 
ministry  and  that  it  was  necessary  that  the  monastic  orders  should 
administer  the  parishes.  Therefore,  Aguinaldo  continued,  he  consid 
ered  it  necessary  to  detain  the  friars  until  the  pope  is  undeceived. 

Affairs  About  the  City  of  Iloilo. 

The  most  threatening  complications  of  all  were  centered  about 
Iloilo,  the  second  city  of  the  islands,  on  the  island  of  Panay,  355  miles 
south  of  Manila.  This  is  one  of  the  group  known  as  the  Visayas 
islands.  Iloilo  was  besieged  by  the  insurgents  and  so  closely  encircled 


FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT.  305 

that  the  Spanish  garrison  which  was  stationed  there  finally  was  unable 
to  hold  out  any  longer.  Several  thousand  soldiers  were  surrendered 
to  the  native  forces,  with  large  quantities  of  arms  and  ammunition, 
on  the  24th  of  December. 

Three  days  later  an  American  expedition  which  had  been  hurried 
southward  from  Manila  under  the  command  of  General  Marcus  P.  Mil 
ler,  arrived  at  Iloilo,  and  found  that  the  Spaniards  had  evacuated  the 
place.  The  steamer  Churuca  transferred  the  Spanish  forces  to  Minda 
nao.  In  accordance  with  an  agreement  the  rebels  entered  the  city  and 
trenches  on  Monday  at  noon.  They  immediately  established  a  municipal 
government.  Guards  were  placed  over  foreign  property.  Everything 
was  quiet  and  orderly.  There  was  some  looting  during  the  night,  but  five 
natives  were  shot,  and  this  had  an  exemplary  effect.  The  only  foreign 
ship  in  the  harbor  was  the  German  cruiser  Irene.  The  Filipinos 
assured  the  Americans  that  they  might  land  unarmed,  but  that  if  the 
latter  landed  armed  the  natives  would  be  uncontrollable.  Every  prep 
aration  was  made  for  resistance  upon  the  part  of  the  rebels,  and  re- 
enforcements  were  arriving  from  Negros  and  the  neighboring  islands. 

Instructions  from  President  McKinley. 

To  define  the  position  of  the  American  authorities  in  the  Philip 
pines,  President  McKinley  issued  a  letter  to  the  secretary  of  war,  with 
instructions  that  it  be  transmitted  to  General  Otis  and  by  him  em 
bodied  in  a  public  proclamation  to  the  Filipinos.  The  letter  was  as 
follows: 

"Executive  Mansion,  Washington,  D.  C.,  December  21,  1898.— 
To  the  Secretary  of  War.  Sir:  The  destruction  of  the  Spanish  fleet 
in  the  harbor  of  Manila  by  the  United  States  naval  squadron  com 
manded  by  Rear-Admiral  DewTey,  followed  by  the  reduction  of  the  city 
and  the  surrender  of  the  Spanish  forces,  practically  effected  the  con 
quest  of  the  Philippine  islands  and  the  suspension  of  Spanish  sover 
eignty  therein. 

"With  the  signature  of  the  treaty  of  peace  between  the  United 
States  and  Spain  by  their  respective  plenipotentiaries  at  Paris  on  the 
10th  inst.,  and  as  the  result  of  the  victories  of  American  arms,  the 
future  control,  disposition  and  government  of  the  Philippine  islands 


306  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 

are  ceded  to  the  United  States.  In  fulfillment  of  the  rights  of  sover 
eignty  thus  acquired  and  the  responsible  obligations  of  government 
thus  assumed,  the  actual  occupation  and  administration  of  the  entire 
group  of  the  Philippine  islands  becomes  immediately  necessary,  and 
the  military  government  heretofore  maintained  by  the  United  States 
in  the  city,  harbor  and  bay  of  Manila  is  to  be  extended  with  all  possible 
dispatch  to  the  whole  of  the  ceded  territory. 

"In  performing  this  duty  the  military  commander  of  the  United 
States  is  enjoined  to  make  known  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Philippine 
islands  that,  in  succeeding  to  the  sovereignty  of  Spain,  in  severing  the 
former  political  relations  of  the  inhabitants  and  in  establishing  a  new 
political  power,  the  authority  of  the  United  States  is  to  be  exerted  for 
the  sovereignty  of  the  persons  and  property  of  the  people  of  the  islands 
and  for  the  confirmation  of  all  their  private  rights  and  relations. 

A  Message  of  Friendship. 

"It  will  be  the  duty  of  the  commander  of  the  forces  of  occupation 
to  announce  and  proclaim  in  the  most  public  manner  that  we  come  not 
as  invaders  or  conquerors,  but  as  friends,  to  protect  the  natives  in 
their  homes,  in  their  employments  and  in  their  personal  and  religious 
rights.  All  persons  who,  either  by  active  aid  or  honest  submission, 
co-operate  with  the  government  of  the  United  States,  to  give  effect  to 
these  benefits  and  purposes,  will  receive  the  reward  of  its  support  and 
protection.  All  others  will  be  brought  within  the  lawful  rule  we  have 
assumed  with  firmness,  if  need  be,  but  without  severity  so  far  as  may 
be  possible. 

"Within  the  absolute  domain  of  military  authority,  which  neces 
sarily  is  and  must  remain  supreme  in  the  ceded  territory  until  the 
legislation  of  the  United  States  shall  otherwise  provide,  the  municipal 
laws  of  the  territory  in  respect  to  private  rights  and  property  and  the 
repression  of  crime  are  to  be  considered  as  continuing  in  force  and 
to  be  administered  by  the  ordinary  tribunals  so  far  as  possible.  The 
operations  of  civil  and  municipal  government  are  to  be  performed  by 
such  officers  as  may  accept  the  supremacy  of  the  United  States  by 
taking  the  oath  of  allegiance,  or  by  officers  chosen  as  far  as  may  be 
practicable  from  the  inhabitants  of  the  islands. 

"While  the  control  of  all  the  public  property  and  the  revenues  of 


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FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT.  309 

the  state  passes  with  the  cession  and  while  the  use  and  management 
of  all  public  means  of  transportation  are  necessarily  reserved  to  the 
authority  of  the  United  States,  private  property,  whether  belonging 
to  individuals  or  corporations,  is  to  be  respected  except  for  cause  fully 
established.  The  taxes  and  duties  heretofore  payable  by  the  inhabi 
tants  to  the  late  government  become  payable  to  the  authorities  of  the 
United  States  unless  it  be  seen  fit  to  substitute  for  them  other  reason 
able  rates  or  modes  of  contribution  to  the  expenses  of  government, 
whether  general  or  local.  If  private  property  be  taken  for  military 
use  it  shall  be  paid  for  when  possible  in  cash  at  a  fair  valuation  and 
when  payment  in  cash  is  not  practicable  receipts  are  to  be  given. 

Commercial  Status  of  the  Islands. 

"All  ports  and  places  in  the  Philippine  islands  in  the  actual  pos 
session  of  the  land  and  naval  forces  of  the  United  States  wrill  be  opened 
to  the  commerce  of  all  friendly  nations.  All  goods  and  wares,  not 
prohibited  for  military  reasons  by  due  announcement  of  the  military 
authority,  will  be  admitted  upon  payment  of  such  duties  and  other 
charges  as  shall  be  in  force  at  the  time  of  their  importation. 

"Finally,  it  should  be  the  earnest  and  paramount  aim  of  the  mili 
tary  administration  to  win  the  confidence,  respect  and  affection  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Philippines  by  assuring  to  them  in  every  possible 
way  that  full  measure  of  individual  rights  and  liberty  which  is  the 
heritage  of  free  people  and  by  proving  to  them  that  the  mission  of 
the  United  States  is  one  of  benevolent  assimilation,  substituting  the 
mild  sway  of  justice  and  right  for  arbitrary  rule.  In  the  fulfillment 
of  this  high  mission,  supporting  the  temperate  administration  of  affairs 
for  the  greatest  good  of  the  governed,  there  must  be  sedulously  main 
tained  the  strong  arm  of  authority,  to  repress  disturbance  and  to  over 
come  all  obstacles  to  the  bestowal  of  the  blessings  of  good  and  stable 
government  upon  the  people  of  the  Philippine  islands  under  the  free 
flag  of  the  United  States.  WILLIAM  M'KINLEY." 

Commenting  upon  President  McKinley's  proclamation  to  the  Fili 
pinos  issued  by  General  Otis,  the  Independencia,  a  native  paper,  de 
clared  the  problem  presented  most  grave.  It  admitted  that  there  were 
only  two  solutions  possible — namely,  the  American  abandonment  of 


310  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 

their  annexation  policy,  claiming  that  the  people  here  are  not  desirous 
of  absorption  in  their  nationality,  or  a  prolonged  and  bloody  war.  It 
cited  the  example  of  the  "noble  patriots  of  Iloilo  defying  General 
Miller,"  expressed  hope  for  a  pacific  termination  of  the  crisis,  but 
hinted  of  trouble. 

Aguinaldo  Issues  a  Manifesto  in  Reply. 

Within  a  few  hours  of  the  proclamation  issued  by  Major-General 
Otis  in  behalf  of  President  McKiuley  the  agents  of  Aguinaldo  billed 
Manila  writh  a  manifesto  which  read  as  follows: 

"The  government  of  the  Filipinos  has  concluded  that  it  is  obliged  to 
expound  the  reasons  for  the  breaking  off  of  friendly  relations  with  the 
army  of  the  United  States  in  these  islands  so  that  all  can  be  convinced 
that  I  have  done  everything  on  my  part  to  avoid  it,  and  at  the  cost  of 
many  rights  necessarily  sacrificed. 

"After  the  naval  combat  of  May  1  the  commander  of  the  American 
squadron  allowed  me  to  return  from  Hong  Kong,  and  distributed  among 
the  Filipinos  arms  taken  from  the  arsenal  at  Cavite,  with  the  intention 
of  starting  anew  the  revolution  (that  had  settled  down  in  consequence 
of  the  treaty  made  between  the  Spaniards  and  the  Filipinos  at  Biak-na- 
bato)  in  order  that  he  might  get  the  Filipinos  on  his  side. 

"The  different  towns  now  understood  that  war  was  declared  between 
the  United  States  and  Spain  and  that  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  fight 
for  their  liberty,  sure  that  Spain  would  be  annihilated  and  would  be 
unable  to  do  anything  to  put  the  islands  in  the  way  of  progress  and  pros 
perity. 

"My  people  rejoiced  at  my  return,  and  I  had  the  honor  of  being 
chosen  as  chief,,  for  the  services  I  had  rendered  before.  Then  all  the 
Filipinos,  without  distinction  of  class,  took  arms,  and  every  province 
hurried  to  turn  all  the  Spanish  troops  outside  the  lines  of  its  boundary. 

"So  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  my  government  would  have  had  the 
power  over  the  whole  island  of  Luzon,  Bisayas  and  a  portion  of  Min 
danao  had  the  Americans  taken  no  part  in  the  military  operations  here 
which  have  cost  us  so  much  blood  and  so  much  money. 

"My  government  is  quite  aware  that  the  destruction  of  the  Spanish 
fleet  and  giving  of  arms  to  them  from  the  arsenal  has  helped  them  much 
in  the  way  of  arms.  I  was  quite  convinced  that  the  American  army  was 


FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT.  311 

obliged  to  sympathize  with  a  revolution  which  had  been  crushed  so 
many  times,  had  shed  so  much  blood  and  was  again  working  for  inde 
pendence.  I  had  all  confidence  in  American  tradition  and  history,  for 
they  were  willing  to  fight  for  independence  and  the  abolition  of  slavery 
until  it  was  attained. 


The  Capture  of  Manila. 

"The  Americans,  having  won  the  good  disposition  of  the  Filipinos, 
disembarked  at  Paranaque  and  took  the  position  occupied  by  our  troops 
in  the  trenches  as  far  as  Maytubig,  taking  possession  as  a  matter  of  fact 
of  many  trenches  that  had  been  constructed  by  my  people. 

"They  obliged  the  capitulation  of  Manila,  and  the  city,  being  sur 
rounded  by  my  troops,  was  obliged  to  surrender  at  the  first  attack. 
Through  my  not  being  notified,  my  troops  advanced  to  Malate,  Ermita, 
Paco,  Sampaloc  and  Tondo.  Without  these  services  in  keeping  the 
Spaniards  in  the  city  they  would  not  have  given  up  so  easily. 

"The  American  generals  took  my  advice  regarding  the  capitulation, 
but  afterward  asked  me  to  retire  with  my  forces  from  Port  Cavite  and 
the  suburbs  of  Manila. 

"I  reminded  the  generals  of  the  injustice  they  were  doing  me  and 
asked  them  in  a  friendly  manner  to  recognize  in  some  expressed  way  my 
co-operation,  but  they  refused  to  accord  me  anything.  Then,  not  wish 
ing  to  do  anything  against  the  wishes  of  those  who  would  soon  be  the 
liberators  of  the  Filipino  people,  I  even  ordered  my  troops  to  evacuate 
the  port  of  Cavite  and  all  the  suburbs  of  Cavite,  retaining  only  one,  the 
suburb  of  Paco. 

"After  all  these  concessions  in. a  few  days  Admiral  Dewey,  without 
any  motive,  took  possession  of  our  steam  launches  that  were  circulating, 
by  his  express  consent,  in  the  bay  of  Manila. 

"Nearly  the  same  time  I  received  an  order  from  Gen.  Otis,  com 
mander  in  chief  of  the  army  of  occupation,  obliging  me  to  retire  my 
army  outside  certain  lines  which  were  drawn  and  given  me,  and  in  which 
I  saw  included  the  town  of  Pandacan  and  the  village  of  Singalon,  which 
never  have  been  termed  suburbs  of  Manila. 

"In  the  actual  sight  of  the  two  American  generals  I  ordered  a  consul 
tation  of  my  military  generals,  and  I  consulted  my  assistant  counselors 


312  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 

and  generals,  and  the  two  bodies  conformed  in  a  desire  to  appoint  a 
commissioner  to  see  Gen.  Hughes. 

"The  general  received  my  commissioner  in  a  poor  way  and  would  not 
allow  him  to  speak,  but  I  allowed  it  to  pass,  by  a  friendly  request  from 
Gen.  Otis,  and  withdrew  my  troops  outside  the  given  lines  so  as  to  avoid 
trouble  and  waited  for  the  conclusion  of  the  peace  commission  at  Paris. 

"I  thought  I  would  get  my  independence,  as  I  was  promised  by  the 
consul-general  of  Singapore,  Mr.  Pratt,  and  it  would  come  in  a  formal, 
assured,  friendly  proclamation  by  the  American  generals  who  had  en 
tered  these  waters. 

"But  it  was  not  so.  The  said  generals  took  my  concessions  in  favor 
of  friendship  and  peace  as  indicative  of  weakness,  and,  with  growing 
ambition,  sent  forces  to  Iloilo  with  the  object  of  taking  that  town,  so 
they  might  call  themselves  the  conquerors  of  that  part  of  the  Philip 
pines,  which  is  already  occupied  by  my  government. 

"This  way  of  proceeding,  so  far  from  custom  and  the  practice  ob 
served  by  the  civilized  nations,  gives  me  the  right  to  proceed,  leaving 
them  out  of  consideration.  Notwithstanding  this,  and  wishing  to  be  in 
the  right  to  the  last,  I  sent  to  Gen.  Otis  a  commissioner  with  a  request 
to  desist  from  this  fearful  undertaking,  but  he  refused  to  do  so. 

War  Is  Threatened. 

"My  government  cannot  remain  indifferent  in  view  of  a  violent  and 
aggressive  usurpation  of  its  territory  by  a  people  who  claim  to  be  the 
champions  of  liberty,  and  so  it  is  determined  to  begin  hostilities  if  the 
American  forces  intend  to  get,  by  force,  the  occupation  of  Visayas. 

"I  denounce  these  transactions  before  the  world  in  order  that  the 
universal  conscience  may  give  its  inflexible  decision.  Who  are  the  man- 
slaughterers  of  humanity?  Upon  their  heads  be  all  the  blood  that  will 
be  wasted.  EMILIO  AGUINALDO. 

"January  6,  1899." 

The  Manila  American  of  January  10  thus  describes  the  effect  of  Ag- 
uinaldo's  proclamation  announcing  the  breaking  of  friendly  relations 
with  the  United  States: 

"The  second  manifesto  was  posted  throughout  the  city  Sunday  even 
ing,  and  early  yesterday  morning.  As  quickly  as  it  could  be  read  the 


FILIPINOS  AND  THE   AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT.  313 

word  was  passed  among  the  natives  and  Spaniards,  and  the  excitement 
rose  to  fever  heat.  Household  goods  were  quickly  packed  up  and  two 
unorganized  processions  were  started;  one  composed  of  natives  traveled 
down  the  street  leading  to  the  insurgent  lines,  while  the  other,  composed 
of  Spaniards,  led  to  the  walled  city. 

"At  an  early  hour  yesterday  the  news  reached  general  headquarters 
and  interpreters  were  sent  out  to  make  copies  of  the  second  proclamation 
and  translations.  When  the  purport  of  the  manifesto  was  learned  or 
ders  were  sent  to  the  headquarters  of  every  regiment  on  the  island  to 
keep  the  men  within  quarters  under  arms,  ready  to  respond  at  a  mo 
ment's  notice  to  any  emergency  call.  Guards  all  over  the  city  were 
strengthened  and  every  possible  precaution  was  taken  to  guard  against 
an  outbreak  or  disturbance. 

"Many  insurgents  who  have  been  working  in  the  city  left  their  posi 
tions  yesterday  and  went  flocking  to  their  lines  outside  the  city.  As  a 
result  many  business  houses  are  short  of  help,  and  some  have  even 
closed  their  places  temporarily.  The  streets,  which  since  the  occupation 
have  been  almost  blocked  with  vehicles,  were  unusually  free  and  less 
than  one-half  the  usual  number  of  quilez  and  carromatos  were  to  be 
found  on  account  of  their  having  been  taken  out  of  the  city  by  the  in 
surgent  owners." 

While  affairs  around  Manila  were  in  this  condition,  it  was  announced 
that  a  new  cabinet  had  been  formed  by  Aguinaldo. 

Aguinaldo  and  His  New  Cabinet. 

Aguinaldo  has  so  dominated  the  affairs  of  the  so-called  Filipino  re 
public  that  little  attention  has  been  paid  to  his  lieutenants  and  the  men 
who  have  been  assigned  to  places  of  nominal  importance  in  the  govern 
ment.  Indeed,  most  people  would  find  difficulty  in  recalling  to  mind 
the  names  of  any  of  Aguinaldo's  cabinet  ministers.  One  reason  for  this 
indifference  to  the  individuality  of  the  Filipino  leaders  below  Aguinaldo 
may  be  found  in  the  fact  that  nearly  all  of  his  subordinates  are  mere 
figureheads — men  of  no  strength  of  character  and  little  or  no  following 
among  their  own  people.  In  all  the  forms  of  government  instituted  by 
Aguinaldo  since  last  May  there  has  not  been  one  man  who  would  allow 
himself  to  have  an  opinion — much  less  to  express  it — contrary  to  Aguin 
aldo's,  except,  possibly,  General  Pio  del  Pilar. 


314  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 

Although  it  is  probable  that  the  so-called  central  government  of  the 
Philippines — Gobierno  de  la  Republica  Filipina,  as  the  natives  call  it — 
will  become  non-existent  in  a  short  time,  I  take  pleasure  in  giving  the 
names  of  the  chief  executive  officers,  with  some  idea  of  their  qualifica 
tions  for  their  posts,  as  furnished  by  Seiior  Ponce,  a  Filipino  diplomat. 

Seiior  Ponce  says  that  the  legislative  power  of  the  Filipino  republic 
rests  with  the  congress,  "composed  of  the  finest  elements  of  the  land, 
presided  over  by  Seiior  Pedro  A.  Paterno,  lawyer  of  the  University  of 
Madrid,  where  he  is  well  known." 

Seiior  Ponce  gives  the  names  of  the  Filipino  cabinet  officers  as  fol 
lows  : 

President — Emilio  Aguinaldo. 

Secretary  of  War — Baldomero  Aguinaldo. 

Secretary  of  Foreign  Affairs — Cayetano  S.  Arellano. 

Secretary  of  Home  Affairs — Leandro  Ibarra. 

Secretary  of  General  Revenue — Mariano  Trias. 

Secretary  of  Justice — Gregorio  Araneta. 

Secretary  of  Education — Felipe  Buencamino. 

The  war  ministry  has  only  one  department  with  five  subheads.  Its 
general  director  is  Antonio  Luna. 

The  ministry  of  foreign  affairs  is  divided  into  three  subdepartments 
— that  of  diplomacy,  in  charge  of  Dr.  T.  H.  Pardo  de  Tavera;  that  of  the 
navy,  whose  chief  is  Pascual  Ledesma,  and  that  of  commerce,  under 
Esteban  de  la  Rama. 

There  are  two  bureaus  in  the  home  department,  one  of  the  police  and 
secret  service,  under  Severino  de  las  Alas,  and  the  other  of  hygiene  and 
sanitation,  in  charge  of  Dr.  Jos£  Albert. 

Benito  Legarda  and  His  Characteristics. 

In  the  department  of  general  revenue  there  is  one  bureau  under  Ben 
ito  Legarda,  whom  I  found  to  be  one  of  the  most  suave  and  clever  little 
diplomats  in  the  east.  He  is  undoubtedly  wrell  placed,  for  if  the  Repub 
lica  Filipiua  should  ever  have  occasion  to  raise  money  from  a  population 
unwilling  to  be  bled,  Seiior  Legarda  is  just  the  man  to  convince  a  reluc 
tant  lot  of  business  men  that  it  will  be  more  pleasing  to  themselves  and 
more  satisfactory  to  the  government  for  them  to  part  with  their  money 
than  their  blood. 


FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT.  315 

One  bureau  of  justice  under  Jos£  Basa  and  one  of  registry  under 
Juan  Tangeo  constitute  the  department  of  justice. 

In  the  department  of  education  there  are  three  rather  incongruous 
bureaus — namely,  public  instruction,  under  A.  Cruz  Herrera;  agricul 
ture  and  fabric  industry,  under  Jos6  Alexandrino,  and  public  works,  un 
der  Fernando  Canon. 

Most  of  the  men  above  named  have  been  educated  in  Europe.  Senor 
Arellano  was  professor  of  law  in  the  Manila  university,  a  magistrate  and 
consulting  lawyer  for  the  friars  and  several  banks  and  other  corpora 
tions.  Dr.  Pardo  de  Tavera  is  a  doctor  of  the  University  of  Paris  and 
the  author  of  several  historical  and  scientific  works.  Senor  Luna  is  a 
bacteriologist,  late  of  the  Pasteur  institute  in  Paris.  Senores  Alexand 
rino  and  Canon  were  educated  in  Europe  as  engineers,  the  former  at  the 
University  of  Ghent.  Dr.  Albert  is  a  doctor  of  medicine  of  the  Universi 
ties  of  Madrid  and  Berlin.  Seiiores  Ibarra,  Bassa,  Alas,  Araiieta  and 
Tangeo  are  lawyers  who  practiced  in  the  Spanish  courts  in  Manila  be 
fore  the  outbreak  of  the  insurrection.  Seiiores  Rama,  Ledesma  and 
Trias  were  formerly  merchants  and  are  reputed  to  be  wealthy. 

Seiior  Ponce  says  that  the  Filipino  congress  has  now  under  discus 
sion  a  constitution  for  the  Filipino  republic,  and  he  adds  an  interesting 
item  of  news  to  the  effect  that'  already  the  congress  has  approved  a  law 
authorizing  the  issue  of  bonds  to  the  extent  of  $20,000,000  (Mexican)  to 
meet  the  necessary  expenses  of  the  government. 

Seiior  Ponce  also  says  the  foregoing  facts  show  that  the  Filipino 
government  is  working  with  a  regularity  that  is  a  proof  of  the  knowl 
edge  with  which  it  was  formed,  and  that  it  is  backed  by  a  native  press 
that  is  full  of  vigor. 

An  Opinion  from  Senor  Ponce 

Concerning  the  relations  of  the  Filipino  republic  with  the  United 
States  Seiior  Ponce — writing  before  the  attack  of  the  natives  upon  our 
troops,  of  course — says:  "It  is  very  difficult  to  forecast  events,  but  from 
the  data  that  come  to  the  surface  I  can  affirm  that  our  amicable  rela 
tions  with  the  Americans  will  never  be  interrupted.  Even  Mr.  McKin- 
ley  always  repeats  that  America*  has  waged  war  for  humanity's  sake, 
without  any  ambitious  intention  of  extending  her  territory.  We  want 
only  the  proper  internal  prosperity  and  justice  to  the  populace,  All  this 


316  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 

allows  us  to  hope  that  America  will  be  our  eternal  friend  and  that,  as 
her  people  have  contributed  very  much  to  enable  us  to  gain  our  inde 
pendence,  they  will  also  help  us  to  preserve  it  by  defending  us  against 
foreign  aggression." 

Lest  any  reader  may  imagine  that  Senor  Ponce  is  more  naive  than 
most  of  the  Filipinos  in  expecting  the  United  States  to  undertake  the 
protection  of  the  Filipino  republic  against  the  encroachment  of  other 
powers,  I  may  say  that  nearly  every  one  of  Aguinaldo's  lieutenants 
had  exactly  the  same  idea.  They  seemed  to  think  that  we  would  be 
glad  to  do  all  that  they  wished  and  that  it  would  be  a  sufficient  reward 
to  us  to  know  that  w^e  had  assisted  them  to  free  themselves  from  the 
Spaniards  and  establish  a  republic. 

The  first  reports  of  the  formation  of  the  new  cabinet  included  Teo- 
doro  Sandico  in  the  list  as  minister  of  the  interior,  but  this  proved  to 
be  an  error,  as  I  presumed  at  the  time.  However,  his  relations  to 
Aguinaldo  and  to  Legarda,  now  in  the  cabinet,  were  such  that  some 
information  concerning  both  these  personalities  may  be  of  interest. 

Sandico  and  Legarda, 

Teodoro  Sandico  is  a  rather  clever  half-caste,educated  as  an  engineer, 
who  was  the  medium  through  whom  Aguinaldo  worked  when  he  was 
making  our  consul  in  Hong  Kong  believe  that  he  (the  consul)  was  a 
diplomat  of  supreme  sagacity  and  finesse.  Poor  Sandico  really  took 
our  consul  seriously  for  a  time  and  believed  that  he  had  assisted  in  the 
negotiation  of  a  treaty  between  the  republic  of  the  United  States  and 
the  Filipino  republic.  It  is  true  Aguinaldo  was  never  deceived  by  the 
performances  of  our  consuls  at  Singapore  and  Hong  Kong,  but  he  now 
finds  it  convenient  to  pretend  that  he  was  led  to  "help"  the  Americans 
by  the  representatives  of  our  government.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Aguiu- 
aldo  knew  perfectly  well  the  powers  and  the  limitations  of  our  consuls 
—a  great  deal  better,  in  fact,  than  these  men  themselves  knew  them. 

One  day  the  former  United  States  consul  to  Manila,  Mr.  O.  F.  Wil 
liams,  took  on  board  the  collier  Kanshan  a  very  nervous  Filipino,  who 
announced  that  he  had  come  to  that  ship  at  Consul  Williams'  request 
preparatory  to  sailing  for  Ilong  Kong.  This  man  was  Sandico,  and 
when  I  questioned  him  about  the  purpose  of  his  trip  to  Ilong  Kong 
he  let  the  cat  out  of  the  bag  at  once  for  the  sake  of  getting  my  influence 


FILiriNOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT.  317 

with  Admiral  Dewey  to  let  him  go  in  the  coming  trip  of  the  Zafiro. 
He  said  that  he  was  on  very  friendly  terms  with  Seuor  Artacho,  who 
had  just  arrived  in  Cavite  from  Hong  Kong;  that  Artacho  had  been 
arrested  the  day  after  his  arrival,  and  that  he  was  to  be  shot  that  day; 
that  he  (Sandico)  had  barely  escaped  imprisonment  because  he  had 
passed  the  night  in  the  same  house  with  Artacho,  and  that  Consul  Wil 
liams  had  saved  his  life  by  giving  him  asylum  on  board  the  Nanshan. 

About  this  time  one  of  Aguinaldo's  staff,  a  slight  young  fellow 
named  Legarda,  came  off  to  the  Nanshan  and  told  Sandico  that  Aguiu- 
aldo  had  sent  for  him  to  come  ashore.  Then  followed  a  most  interest 
ing  struggle  on  the  part  of  Saudico  to  escape  the  fate  that  he  felt  sure 
had  been  meted  out  to  Artacho  and  his  four  friends.  Sandico  fell 
back  upon  his  position  of  supposed  safety  on  board  a  United  States 
vessel.  Aguinaldo  sent  Legarda  to  Admiral  Dewey  with  a  request  that 
his  insubordinate  officer  be  returned  to  his  service.  The  admiral's  eyes 
snapped  when  he  learned  that  Sandico  had  taken  refuge  aboard  the 
Naushan  at  the  request  of  Consul  Williams,  and  he  ordered  Flag  Lieu 
tenant  Brumby  to  see  that  Sandieo  was  put  ashore.  The  latter,  finding 
that  his  asylum^  was  to  be  taken  from  him,  begged  Brumby  and  myself 
most  piteously  to  intercede  with  the  admiral  to  save  his  life. 

While  Legarda  was  ashore  getting  instructions  from  Aguinaldo, 
Sandico  was  sure  his  last  hour  had  come.  He  was  removed  from  the 
Nanshan  an  hour  later,  but  the  delay  had  been  long  enough  to  enable 
the  admiral  to  let  Aguiualdo  know,  unofficially,  that  -it  would  be  unwise 
for  him  to  permit  any  summary  executions  in  or  near  Cavite.  Conse 
quently  Sandico  was  merely  "squeezed"  for  information  that  could  be 
used  against  Artacho;  but,  remembering  how  sure  Sandico  was  t/>at 
Aguiualdo  intended  to  have  him  shot  at  sight,  it  seemed  a  little  odd 
to  hear  the  incorrect  report  that  he  was  to  serve  in  Aguinaldo's  caV  Inet. 

Legarda  and  His  Mission  to  the  Spanish. 

Benito  Legarda,  in  spite  of  his  youth,  is  one  of  the  shrewdest  and 
most  capable  of  the  men  in  Aguinaldo's  entourage.  He  is  small  and 
slight,  with  regular  and  pleasing  features  and  very  agreeable  manners. 
He  was  educated  in  England,  he  told  me,  having  been  sent  to  a  board 
ing  school  at  Clapham,  I  think,  when  he  was  very  young.  He  speaks 
English  fluently  and  French  fairly  well. 


318  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 

It  was  Legarda  whom  Aguinaldo  sent  into  Manila  when  our  troops 
were  beginning  to  move  towrard  the  city  and  when  Aguinaldo  had  just 
learned  that  his  men  were  not  to  be  allowed  to  take  part  in  the  city's 
capture.  There  is  no  doubt  that  he  carried  a  proposition  from  Aguin 
aldo  to  the  captain-general  at  least  to  let  the  natives  enter  the  city 
in  advance  of  the  Americans;  and  there  are  many  suspicions  that  a 
much  more  treacherous  proposition  was  made.  Whatever  may  have 
been  Legarda's  mission  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  failed.  So  he  came 
back  to  Aguinaldo  with  the  messages  intrusted  to  him  by  the  captain- 
general  and  the  archbishop  of  the  Philippines.  Then,  although  Aguin 
aldo  and  every  one  else  in  that  neighborhood  knew  that  the  city  would 
be  forced  to  capitulate  or  would  be  carried  by  assault,  and  that  it  was 
only  a  question  of  a  few  days  at  most,  he  sent  Legarda  back  into  Manila 
on  a  secret  duty.  Legarda  was  instructed  to  propose  to  the  Spaniards 
that  the  Filipinos  should  unite  with  them  to  crush  the  "Yankees,"  and 
that  in  return  the  rebels  should  receive  their  independence  from  Spain. 
Of  course,  the  Spaniards  did  not  form  the  alliance  with  the  natives,  but 
it  is  certain  that  Legarda  was  the  envoy  whom  Aguinaldo  trusted 
above  all  others  on  his  staff.  The  Spaniards  offered  him  the  earth 
if  he  would  desert  to  them,  and  he  concluded  it  would,  perhaps,  be  a 
wise  thing  to  do.  So  he  remained  in  Manila  after  his  second  trip  thither 
and  lived  on  the  fat  of  the  land  in  the  captain-general's  palace.  No  one 
in  our  lines  could  comprehend  the  purpose  of  his  supposed  treason,  but 
later  it  was  Discovered  that  he  had  gone  back  by  Aguinaldo's  order  to 
remain  in  the  city  until  its  capture  by  the  Americans,  so  that  he  might 
"bob  up  serenely"  at  the  moment  when  the  surrender  took  place  and 
thus  enable  him  to  claim  that  he  had  a  representative  present  when 
the  Spaniards  capitulated. 

When  there  is  anything  to  be  gained  "by  trick  or  device,"  as  the  law 
reads,  the  Filipinos  can  give  the  heathen  Chinee  cards  and  spades 
and  win. 

j  Demands  of  the  New  Filipino  Cabinet. 

The  new  cabinet  asked  for  recognition  of  the  independence  of  the 
Philippine  islands.  The  release  of  the  Spanish  prisoners  held  by  the 
Filipinos  was  denied.  An  offer  was  made,  however,  of  willingness  to 
come  to  an  understanding  with  the  Americans  "as  allies"  for  the  surren- 


FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN   GOVERNMENT.  319 

der  of  the  Spanish  military  and  civil  officers  and  others  on  the  following 
conditions: 

"The  negotiations  to  be  opened  formally  between  Spain  and  the, 
national  Filipino  government,  Spain  nominating  a  delegate  to  treat 
therewith. 

"Exchange  of  prisoners  and  Spain  to  repatriate,  firstly,  all  the  Fili 
pinos  held  prisoners;  secondly,  all  prisoners  of  war  condemned  as  trait 
ors,  revolters  or  deserters,  and  Spain  to  grant  amnesty  to  all  Filipinos 
and  Spaniards  accused  of  conspiracy  in  the  insurrection. 

"Spain  to  defray  all  the  expenses  of  repatriating  the  Filipinos  and 
also  the  cost  of  maintaining  and  repatriating  the  Spanish  prisoners 
held  by  the  Filipinos. 

"Friars  taken  prisoners  will  not  be  included  in  the  exchange,  see 
ing  that  they  acted  as  papal  agents  during  the  war;  but  their  surrender 
will  be  made  on  the  condition,  firstly,  that  the  apostolic  delegate  will 
ask  their  liberty  in  the  name  of  the  pope;  secondly,  that  all  bulls  and 
pontifical  decrees  granting  special  privileges  to  the  religious  orders 
be  revoked;  thirdly,  that  all  rites  of  the  secular  clergy  be  respected; 
fourthly,  that  no  friar  hold  any  parish,  cathedral,  episcopate  or  dioc 
esan  preferments;  fifthly,  that  all  such  preferments  be  held  by  native 
or  naturalized  Filipino  clergy,  and,  sixthly,  that  rules  for  the  election 
of  bishops  be  fixed." 

Conditions  around  Iloilo  became  more  critical.  The  streets  were 
barricaded  and  man}'  buildings  prepared  for  defense  in  the  event  of 
attack.  The  insurgents  threatened  to  destroy  the  whole  business 
quarter  of  the  city  at  the  first  shot  of  bombardment  by  the  Amer 
icans.  The  banks  sent  their  funds  aboard  ships  in  the  harbor.  Presi 
dent  McKinley's  proclamation  had  to  be  typewritten  aboard  ship,  as 
the  printers  on  shore  declined  to  do  the  work,  and  when  the  text  of 
the  proclamation  was  read  to  them  they  ridiculed  the  notion  that  con 
ciliation  was  possible. 

Agoncillo's  Work  in  Washington. 

Seiior  'Agoncillo,  the  Filipino  representative  in  Washington,  had 
made  repeated  efforts  to  obtain  diplomatic  recognition  from  the  Presi- 


320  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 

dent  and  the  secretary  of  state,  always  without  success.  They  had  re 
ceived  him  personally  and  had'  listened  to  his  presentation  of  affairs, 
but  had  given  him  no  official  recognition  whatever.  In  his  communi 
cation  of  January  24  to  the  secretary  of  state,  Seilor  Don  Felipe  Agon- 
cillo  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  on  January  11  he  addressed  a  letter 
to  him  upon  the  question  of  recognition,  forwarding  with  it  a  memoran 
dum  demonstrating  that,  according  to  all  American  precedents,  the 
Philippine  republic  was  entitled  to  recognition,  and  in  the  same  letter 
invited  the  attention  of  the  secretary  to  the  present  strained  condi 
tions  at  Manila,  where  overzeal  on  either  side  might  create  a  condition 
resulting  in  grievous  loss  of  life  and  urging  the  necessity  of  an  early 
and  frank  communication  between  the  representatives  of  the  two 
countries.  He  further  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  since  his  letter 
was  written  the  very  circumstances  he  feared  have  brought  the  two 
countries  to  the  edge  of  war. 

Referring  to  the  continual  movement  of  ships  and  troops  to  the 
Philippines,  Agoncillo  said  he  w,as  unable  to  conceive  of  any  reason  why 
the  army  and  navy  of  the  United  States,  lately  employed  against  a 
common  enemy,  should  be  turned  against  America's  recent  associate. 

The  United  States,  he  said,  had  no  active  enemy  in  the  orient,  hav 
ing  proclaimed  an  armistice  with  Spain.  It  was  true,  he  continued,  that 
Spain  had  undertaken  to  convey  to  the  United  States  its  alleged  claim 
against  the  Philippines,  a  claim  which  Spain  was  not  capable  of 
enforcing  and  which  never  found  its  origin  in  the  consent  of  the  people 
of  those  islands.  He  inquired:  "Are  my  government  and  people  to  be 
left  to  suppose  that  it  is  because  of  some  desire  on  the  part  of  the 
American  government  to  enforce  against  its  late  associate  this  exploded 
claim  that  the  United  States  is  massing  its  forces  at  the  late  capital 
of  the  Philippine  islands?" 

He  was  sure  the  secretary  of  state  would  appreciate,  in  view  of  the 
circumstances  detailed,  the  quieting,  reassuring  effect  upon  the  minds 
of  his  countrymen  to  result  from  a  disclaimer  upon  the  part  of  the 
American  government  of  any  intention  to  attack  their  liberties  and 
independence. 

An  American  Commission    to  the  Philippines. 

But  by  this  time  there  were  two  delegations  of  Filipinos  in  Wash 
ington.  One  was  that  headed  by  Agoncillo,  representing  Aguinaldo  and 


FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT.  321 

the  insurgents;  the  other,  wealthy  merchants,  also  Filipinos,  who  were 
opposed  to  Aguinaldo  and  regarded  him  as  an  adventurer.  President 
McKinley  decided  upon  the  appointment  of  a  commission  to  visit  the 
Philippine  islands  and  confer  with  the  leading  people,  both  Spaniards 
and  insurgents,  concerning  the  organization  of  a  government.  He 
believed  it  would  be  taking  great  risks  for  Congress  or  himself  or 
anybody  to  attempt  to  frame  a  government  for  the  Filipinos  without 
knowing  thoroughly  the  sentiments  and  the  requirements  of  the  people 
and  the  conditions  in  which  they  were  situated.  Although  he  probably 
knew  as  much  on  this  subject  as  any  man  who  had  not  personally  visited 
the  archipelago,  he  did  not  feel  competent  to  make  any  recommenda 
tions.  He  believed  that  he  should  go  very  slowly.  He  wanted  also 
formally  to  assure  the  Filipinos  of  the  friendly  intentions  of  the  United 
States.  He  wanted  them  to  understand  that  the  purpose  of  his 
government  was  to  give  them  as  large  a  share  of  self-government  as  the 
circumstances  would  justify,  and  that  he  would  like  to  have  the  views  of 
the  people  of  importance,  the  intelligent  classes,  the  property-owners 
and  taxpayers  as  to  the  form  of  government  most  suitable. 

This  commission  was  composed  of  Admiral  Dewey,  General  Otis, 
Colonel  Charles  Denby  of  Evansville,  Ind.,  who  was  for  thirteen  years 
minister  to  China;  President  Schurmann  of  Cornell  University,  and 
Professor  Dean  C.  Worcester  of  Michigan  University,  Ann  Arbor.  The 
latter  is  the  author  of  an  exhaustive  and  valuable  scientific  work  on 
the  Philippine  islands,  drawn  from  information  which  he  gained  in 
scientific  exploration  and  study  in  the  archipelago  through  a  period  of 
nearly  three  years. 

Native  papers  and  insurgent  leaders  gave  little  credit  to  the  appoint 
ment  of  the  commission,  claiming  that  it  was  but  a  ruse  of  the  Amer 
icans  to  gain  time  and  strengthen  their  position. 

This  was  the  state  of  affairs  at  the  end  of  January,  1899,  when 
American  men-of-war  and  American  soldiers  were  being  sent  as  rapidly 
as  practicable  to  add  to  the  forces  already  in  the  far-away  islands  of 
the  east.  Then,  in  the  first  days  of  February,  occurred  the  lamentable 
encounter  which  marked  the  beginning  of  a  new  war,  this  time  the 
United  States  of  America  against  the  native  inhabitants  of  the  remote 
Philippine  archipelago. 


322  FILIPINOS  AND  THE  AMERICAN  GOVERNMENT. 


Sentiment  in  the  United   States. 

The  action  of  the  Filipinos  in  bringing  on  a  conflict,  stimulated  to 
prompt  action  those  United  States  senators  who  had  been  in  doubt  on 
the  treaty  question,  thereby  accomplishing  a  purpose  diametrically  op 
posed  to  what  the  insurgents  desired.  The  treaty  of  peace  negotiated 
in  Paris  by  the  American  and  Spanish  commissioners,  was  ratified  by 
the  senate  on  Monday  afternoon,  February  6,  the  vote  being  fifty-seven 
to  twenty-seven — more  than  the  two-thirds  majority  required.  The 
tension  had  been  great  in  the  senate  and  there  was  considerable 
doubt  whether  or  not  ratification  would  be  carried.  The  country,  how 
ever,  was  gratified  that  the  senate  took  this  action,  believing  that 
the  time  to  settle  questions  as  to  our  disposition  of  the  Philippines 
\vas  after  we  had  safely  taken  care  of  our  own  treaty  of  peace.  On  the 
same  day,  Senator  McEnery  of  Louisiana,  offered  a  resolution  declaring 
that  there  was  no  intention  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  to  annex 
the  Philippine  islands  or  admit  their  population  to  citizenship;  that 
after  we  had  prepared  them  for  self-government  we  would  dispose  of 
them  as  will  be  best  for  their  welfare  and  ours.  This  resolution  went 
over  for  action  at  a  later  date. 

Agoncillo  and  his  fellow-members  of  the  Filipino  embassy  left  Wash 
ington  for  Montreal  the  night  before  the  first  news  of  hostilities  wras  re 
ceived  in  the  United  States.  It  was  believed  that  he  had  been  warned 
by  cable  of  Aguinaldo's  intentions.  From  that  time  he  made  his  head 
quarters  in  the  Canadian  city,  keeping  in  touch  with  the  Filipina  Junta 
in  Paris,  London  and  Hong  Kong. 

The  policy  which  had  been  adopted  toward  the  Filipinos  met  with 
strenuous  opposition  from  a  large  and  influential  class  in  the  United 
States.  The  McEnery  resolution  passed  the  United  States  senate,  de 
claring  our  ultimate  purpose  was  not  to  annex  the  Filipinos.  It  became 
evident  that  the  sentiment  of  the  country  was  by  no  means  unanimous 
for  annexation.  The  military  operations  which  resulted  in  the  death 
of  thousands  of  Filipinos  who  sincerely  believed  they  were  fighting  for 
the  freedom  of  their  country,  aroused  a  great  deal  of  feeling. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 
OUR   WAR   WITH    THE    FILIPINOS. 

Commencement  of  Hostilities  Between  Americans  and  Filipinos — The  Ad 
vance  of  the  Americans — Old  Men  and  Children  in  the  Trenches — 
Shells  From  Dewey's  Fleet — A  Filipino  Proclamation— Manila  on  Fire 
— Cessation  of  Hostilities — Arrival  of  the  Philippine  Commission — • 
The  Attack  on  Pasig — Aguinaldo  in  the  Trenches — Arrival  of  the 
Oregon. 

It  was  on  the  night  of  Saturday,  February  4,  that  the  first  outbreak 
between  the  Filipino  insurgents  and  the  American  troops  in  the  Philip 
pine  islands  took  place.  That  evening  three  of  the  natives  attempted  to 
pass  the  American  picket  -lines  at  Santa  Mesa  in  the  city  of  Manila. 
They  were  challenged  and  retired  without  replying.  A  second  attempt 
met  with,  the  same  opposition,  and  when  they  approached  the  line  for  the 
third  time  Corporal  Greely,of  the  First  Nebraska  Volunteers,  challenged 
them  and  then  opened  fire,  killing  one  and  wounding  another. 

These  shots  aroused  the  insurgent  line,  stretching  from  Caloocan, 
near  the  bay,  north  of  Manila,  to  Santa  Mesa,  in  the  rear  of  the  city, 
and  a  fusillade  was  started  at  many  points.  The  pickets  of  the  First 
Nebraska,  the  First  North  Dakota  and  the  First  Montana  regiments 
replied  vigorously,  and  hot  work  began.  The  American  outposts,  how 
ever,  held  their  ground  until  reinforcements  arrived.  At  9  o'clock  the 
Filipinos  attempted  to  rush  the  lines,  and  almost  broke  through  the 
wavering  pickets  and  breathless  detachments  that  had  hurried  to  their 
support.  The  Americans,  however,  grew  stronger  every  minute.  The 
artillery  joined  in  the  mele'e  and  soon  from  the  bay  Admiral  Dewey's 
warships  began  to  shell  the  insurgent  positions.  The  Filipinos  then 
concentrated  their  forces  at  three  points,  Caloocan,  Gagalangin  and 
Santa  Mesa. 

The  Attack  of  the  Filipinos. 

At  1  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  insurgents  opened  a  hot  fire  from 
the  three  points  simultaneously.  This  was  supplemented  by  the  fire 

323 


324  OUR  WAR  WITH   THE   FILIPINOS. 

of  two  siege  guns  at  Balik-Balik  and  by  advancing  their  skirmishers 
at  Paco  and  Pardacan.  The  Americans  replied  by  a  heavy  fire,  but  in 
the  darkness  they  could  have  little  knowledge  of  its  effect. 

The  Utah  light  artillery  at  last  succeeded  in  silencing  the  guns 
of  the  Filipinos.  The  Third  artillery  was  pounding  away  at  the 
flashes  of  fire  showing  the  insurgent  positions  on  the  extreme  left.  The 
engagement  lasted  over  an  hour.  During  much  of  the  time  the  United 
States  cruiser  Charleston  and  the  gunboat  Concord,  stationed  off  Mala- 
bon,  hammered  with  the  rapid-fire  guns  of  their  secondary  batteries 
upon  the  insurgent  position  at  Caloocan.  At  2:45  in  the  morning  there 
was  another  fusillade  along  the  entire  line.  By  this  time  the  United 
States  monitor  Monadnock  was  in  position  south  of  Manila  and  opened 
fire  on  the  insurgent  line  near  Malate. 

When  daylight  came  the  Americans  advanced.  The  First  California 
and  the  First  Washington  infantry  made  a  splendid  charge  and  drove 
the  insurgents  from  the  villages  of  Pato  and  Santa  Mesa.  The  Nebraska 
regiment  also  distinguished  itself,  capturing  several  prisoners  and  one 
howitzer  and  a  very  strong  position  at  the  reservoir  which  is  connected 
with  the  Manila  water  w^orks.  The  Twentieth  Kansas  and  the  Dakota 
regiments  compelled  the  enemy's  right  flank  to  retire  to  Caloocan.  Fir 
ing  continued  throughout  Sunday  at  various  points.  The  American 
losses  at  the  end  of  the  battle  were  approximately  50  killed  and  200 
wounded.  It  was  impossible  to  do  more  than  estimate  the  losses  of  the 
Filipinos. 

Burying  the  Dead  Insurgents. 

All  day  Monday,  burial  parties  were  busy  interring  the  dead  who 
fell  during  the  fighting  on  Saturday  night  and  Sunday.  Hundreds  of 
dead  Filipinos  were  found  in  the  rice  fields  and  were  buried  on  the  spots 
where  they  were  found.  The  most  conservative  calculation  placed  the 
loss  of  the  Filipinos  at  1,000  dead  and  2,000  wrounded. 

Late  Monday  afternoon,  General  Hale's  brigade  advanced  and  took 
the  water  works  at  Singalon.  Four  companies  of  the  Nebraska  regi 
ment  and  a  part  of  the  Utah  battery  with  two  field  guns  and  two 
Hotchkiss  guns  met  the  enemy  on  the  hill  a  half  a  mile  out,  and  a  sharp 
engagement  took  place,  in  which  the  Nebraskans  lost  four  men.  The 
Filipinos  were  driven  back,  retiring  in  bad  order.  General  Ovenshine's 


GENERAL  ELWELL  S.  OTIS 


GENERAL  WESLEY  MERRITT 


OUR.  WAR  WITH  THE  FILIPINOS.  327 

brigade  advanced  and  took  Paraiiaque,  capturing  two  field  guns.  Gen 
eral  MacArtliur's  division  advanced  beyond  Gagalangin  without  loss, 
the  enemy  retreating  upon  Caloocan. 

By  the  night  of  Tuesday,  after  three  days  and  nights  of  inter 
mittent  fighting,  the  insurgent  forces  had  been  driven  back  ten  miles 
to  the  east  and  south  of  Manila  and  five  miles  to  the  north,  where  they 
still  had  lodgment  in  the  vicinity  of  Malabon.  The  advances  of  the 
American  troops  had  never  once  been  checked,  the  enemy  being  scat 
tered  like  rabbits.  First  the  canebrakes  in  front  of  advanced  positions 
were  shelled  and  as  the  lurking  rebels  broke  from  cover  to  seek  safer 
quarters,  they  were  raked  with  a  withering  cross-fire  from  the  rifles  of 
the  Americans,  wrho  then  advanced  in  irresistible  charges. 

The  Work  of  the  Sharpshooters. 

The  Filipinos  did  their  shooting  almost  exclusively  from  behind 
trenches,  or  from  ambushes  in  the  thickets,  except  that  sharpshooters  in. 
the  treetops  were  kept  busy.  The  Filipinos  wasted  a  vast  quantity  of 
ammunition,  but  they  almost  invariably  shot  too  high,  so  that  while  the 
killed  and  wounded  on  the  American  side  made  a  distressingly  long  list, 
the  escape  of  the  troops  from  an  appalling  slaughter,  considering  the 
intrenchments  everywhere,  the  junglelike  growths  of  vegetation  suit 
able  for  ambushes,  and  the  short  range  firing  from  native  huts,  was 
almost  miraculous. 

On  the  side  of  the  rebels  the  dead  had  literally  fallen  in  heaps. 
There  were  swarms  of  armed  men  everywhere  in  front  of  the  American 
lines  when  the  fighting  began.  Tottering  old  men  and  little  boys,  armed 
only  with  knives,  huddled  in  the  trenches  with  the  native  riflemen,  and 
many  of  these — how  many  will  probably  never  be  known — were  shot 
down  along  with  the  more  formidable  warriors. 

Caloocan  became  the  scene  of  fighting  as  the  Filipinos  were  driven 
farther  from  the  city.  On  the  evening  of  February  7,  Lieutenant  A.  C. 
Alford  of  the  Twentieth  Kansas  infantry  and  a  private  of  that  company 
were  killed  and  six  others  of  the  regiment  were  wounded  while  recon- 
noitering.  The  party  was  in  a  jungle  when  it  was  attacked  by  the 
enemy.  Two  companies  of  the  Kansas  regiment  were  sent  to  the  relief 
of  their  comrades  and  drove  the  Filipinos  into  Caloocan,  penetrating 
to  the  very  heart  of  the  town.  Meanwhile  gunboats  shelled  the  suburbs. 


OUR  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS. 

General  Otis  finally  recalled  the  troops,  but  the  natives,  misunder 
standing  the  retreat,  failed  to  take  advantage  of  it.  The  outskirts  of 
the  town  were  burned.  Two  days  later  another  conflict  occurred  at 
Caloocan.  General  MacArthur's  forces  lying  north  of  the  Pasig  river 
were  swung  into  the  town  and  routed  the  Filipinos  after  a  lively  battle. 
Before  the  men  were  in  the  field,  however,  shells  were  thrown  from  the 
guns  of  Admiral  Dewey's  ships  for  a  full  half-hour.  The  natives  were 
badly  demoralized  and  had  lost  heavily  before  the  real  fighting  began. 
The  American  land  forces  were  hurried  forward  at  3:40  in  the  after 
noon  and  writhin  two  hours  the  enemy  were  utterly  routed  and  the 
village  was  reduced  to  ashes. 

Shells  from  Dewey's  Fleet. 

The  next  stronghold  where  the  insurgents  made  a  stand  was 
Malabon,  out  of  which  place  they  were  driven  by  the  American  troops 
on  February  11,  setting  fire  to  the  town  as  they  retreated.  The  monitor 
Monadnock  and  the  cruiser  Charleston  shelled  the  insurgent  outposts 
and  drove  them  toward  the  mountains,  while  the  American  columns 
were  advancing.  In  the  attack  the  American  army  suffered  a  loss  of 
two  killed  and  nine  wounded;  the  insurgent  loss  was  heavy.  After 
the  retreat  of  the  insurgent  forces,  plans  showing  a  meditated  attack 
upon  Manila  were  discovered. 

Fighting  before  Manila  was  now  interrupted  for  a  few  days,  except 
for  unimportant  skirmishes  between  outposts  of  the  opposing  armies. 
The  American  authorities  in  Manila,  however,  had  quite  enough  to  do 
to  guard  the  city  from  threatened  uprisings.  It  was  believed  at  one 
time  that  there  was  a  plan  to  burn  the  city  and  many  alleged  con 
spirators  were  arrested.  It  was  well  understood  that  the  people  of  the 
city  and  the  .suburban  villages  were  in  sympathy  with  the  insurgents 
and  would  take  any  chance  to  assist  them. 

On  February  14,  some  of  the  rebels  took  possession  of  the  houses 
near  the  outposts,  a  skirmish  followed  and  we  lost  nine  men  in  a  Cali 
fornia  regiment  before  the  enemy  were  driven  out.  Then  a  gunboat 
shelled  the  villages  and  the  jungle,  driving  the  Filipinos  toward  the 
famous  lake,  Laguna  de  Bay.  By  this  time  the  American  outposts  were 
extended  to  a  position  twelve  miles  beyond  the  city.  Another  skirmish 
occurred  on  the  Tariquina  road  on  February  18,  in  which  about  twenty 


OUR  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS.  329 

Americans  were  killed  and  wounded.  A  day  later  word  came  that  the 
California  volunteers  had  abandoned  Guadalupe  church,  setting  it  on 
fire,  and  retired  to  San  Pedro  Macati.  The  rebels  still  held  the  country 
in  the  vicinity  of  Guadalupe,  Pasig  and  Patero,  despite  the  efforts  of 
the  gunboats  to  dislodge  them  from  the  jungle  on  both  sides  of  the 
river. 

The  heat  was  intense  and  increasing  daily,  so  that  the  American 
soldiers  were  suffering  greatly  from  the  weather  to  which  they  were 
not  accustomed.  There  was  a  daily  list  of  casualties  cabled  to  the 
war  department  by  Major-General  Otis  and  the  list  of  killed,  wounded, 
and  those  dying  from  disease  grew  steadily. 

The  Capture  of  Iloilo. 

At  Iloilo  conditions  wrere  equally  strained,  but  hostilities  had  not 
progressed  to  such  an  extent.  After  weeks  of  waiting  in  the  harbor, 
on  the  morning  of  Friday,  February  10,  General  Miller  sent  an  ulti 
matum  to  the  commander  of  the  Filipinos  on  shore,  notifying  him  it 
was  his  intention  to  take  Iloilo,  by  force  if  necessary.  Non-combatants 
and  foreigners  Avere  warned  to  leave  the  town  within  twenty-four  hours. 
The  insurgents  were  also  warned  that  they  must  make  no  further 
belligerent  preparations.  Tte  gunboat  Petrel  was  then  moved  to  a 
position  close  inshore  near  the  Filipino  fort,  wrhile  the  cruiser 
Boston  took  up  her  station  at  the  other  end  of  the  town. 

Friday  passed  quietly.  During  the  day  many  refugees  left  the  .town 
of  Iloilo.  The  majority  of  them  were  taken  on  board  foreign  ships 
lying  in  the  harbor.  Searchlights  from  the  United  States  warships  were 
kept  all  night  long  illuminating  the  town  and  its  defenses. 

Filipinos  are  Driven  Back. 

At  3  o'clock  Saturday  morning  the  gunboat  Petrel  signaled  to  the 
cruiser  Boston  that  the  insurgents  were  working  in  their  trenches.  In 
return  the  Petrel  was  ordered  to  fire  warning  shots  upon  the  town 
from  her  3-pounders.  The  enemy  responded  with  a  harmless  fusil 
lade.  The  Boston  and  the  Petrel  then  bombarded  the  trenches,  com 
pletely  clearing  them  of  their  occupants  in  a  very  short  time. 

Soon  after  the  bombardment  began  flames  broke  out  simultaneously 


330  OUR  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS. 

in  various  parts  of  the  town.  Thereupon  forty-eight  marines,  acting  as 
infantry  and  artillery,  were  landed  from  the  cruiser  Boston,  and  a  com 
pany  was  sent  ashore  from  the  gunboat  Petrel.  These  detachments 
marched  straight  into  the  town  of  Iloilo,  and,  hoisting  the  stars  and 
stripes  over  the  fort,  took  possession  of  the  place  in  the  name  of  the 
United  States. 

The  capture  of  the  town  and  its  defenses  having  been  accomplished, 
the  marines  and  soldiers  who  had  been  sent  ashore  assisted  in  saving 
the  American,  English  and  German  consulates  from  destruction  by  the 
fire,  which  was  raging  among  the  frail  and  inflammable  buildings  of 
the  town.  The  Swiss  consul's  residence,  which  was  in  the  same  row  as 
the  consulates  named,  was  burned.  The  entire  Chinese  and  native  sec 
tions  of  the  towrn  were  destroyed,  but  foreign  mercantile  property 
escaped  with  slight  damage. 

There  was  some  desultory  firing  by  the  enemy  in  the  outskirts  of 
Iloilo,  but  not  a  single  American  was  injured. 

On  February  12,  General  Miller  ordered  a  reconnoissance  in  force  to 
ascertain  the  enemy's  position.  Between  Iloilo  and  Molo  and  beyond 
no  hostile  forces  were  encountered,  but  midway  between  Iloilo  and  Jaro 
a  large  body  of  the  enemy  was  encountered,  occupying  both  sides  of 
the  road.  They  met  the  advance  of  the  American  troops  with  a  severe 
and  well  directed  fire.  The  Americans  deployed  and  returned  the  fire 
with  a  number  of  volleys.  Supported  by  the  Hotchkiss  and  Gatling 
guns  the  enemy  was  driven  through  Jaro  to  the  open  country  beyond. 
The  Americans  lost  four  men  slightly  wounded,  the  insurgent  loss  was 
severe. 

Plan  a  Terrible  Revenge. 

The  following  proclamation  issued  from  Malolos,  the  seat  of  the 
insurgent  government,  on  February  15,  shows  the  feelings  that  animated 
Aguinaldo  and  his  advisers  as  regards  the  American  army: 

"First.  You  will  so  dispose  that  at  8  o'clock  at  night  the  individuals 
of  the  territorial  militia  at  your  order  wrill  be  found  united  in  all  of  the 
streets  of  San  Pedro,  armed  with  their  bolos  and  revolvers  or  guns,  and 
ammunition  if  convenient. 

"Second.  Philippine  families  only  will  be  respected.  They  should 
not  be  molested,  but  all  other  individuals,  of  whatever  race  they  may 


OUR  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS.  331 

be,  will  be  exterminated  without  any  compassion  after  the  extermina 
tion  of  the  army  of  occupation. 

"Third.  The  defenders  of  the  Philippines  in  your  command  will 
attack  the  guard  at  Bilibid  and  liberate  the  prisoners  and  'presidiarios,' 
and  having  accomplished  this  they  will  be  armed,  saying  to  them: 

"  'Brothers,  we  must  avenge  ourselves  on  the  Americans  and  exter 
minate  them,  that  we  may  take  our  revenge  for  the  infamy  and  treach 
ery  which  they  have  committed  upon  us;  have  no  compassion  upon 
them;  attack  with  vigor.  All  Filipinos  en  masse  will  second  you.  Long 
live  Filipino  independence.' 

"Fourth.  The  order  that  will  be  followed  in  the  attack  will  be  as 
follows:  The  sharpshooters  of  Tonda  and  Santa  Alia  will  begin  the 
attack  from  without,  and  these  shots  will  be  the  signal  for  the  militia 
of  Troso  Binondo,  Quiato  and  Sainpaloe  to  go  out  into  the  street  and 
do  their  duty;  those  of  Pake,  Ermita,  and  Malate,  Santa  Cruz  and  San 
Miguel  will  not  start  out  until  12  o'clock  unless  they  see  that  their 
companions  need  assistance. 

"Fifth.  The  militia  of  Tonto  will  start  out  at  3  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing;  if  all  do  their  duty  our  revenge  will  be  complete.  Brothers,  Europe 
contemplates  us;  we  know  how  to  die  as  men,  shedding  our  blood  in 
defense  of  the  liberty  of  our  country.  Death  to  the  tyrants. 

"War  without  quarter  to  the  false  Americans  who  have  deceived  us. 

"Either  independence  or  death." 

Manila   on  Fire. 

On  the  night  of  February  22  the  insurgents  fired  the  city  of  Manila. 
Flames  burst  forth  simultaneously  from  Santa  Cruz,  San  Nicholas  and 
Tondo,  and  from  these  points  the  fire  spread  in  all  directions.  While 
the  American  soldiers  were  fighting  the  flames,  retarded  as  they  were  by 
the  natives,  who  cut  the  fire  hose,  who  shot  at  the  men  from  dark 
corners  as  they  stood  exposed  in  the  glare,  and  who  started  new  confla 
grations,  boatloads  of  armed  insurgents  stole  down  from  the  north  and 
crept  up  the  swampy  creeks  of  the  Vitas  district.  There  they  prepared 
for  an  attack  on  the  rear  of  the  American  troops.  They  lurked  at  the 
edges  of  the  creeks  and  amid  the  salt  marshes,  gathering  their  forces 
together  from  the  city  and  the  bay,  until  they  were  ready  for  serious 
work  inside  the  American  lines. 


332  OUR  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS. 

At  dawn  the  signal  for  the  attack  was  given  by  the  insurgent  cannon 
on  the  north  opening  fire  on  Caloocan.  The  American  cannon  responded 
promptly  and  soon  silenced  the  insurgents'  guns.  In  the  meantime  the 
Filipinos  had  issued  from  the  marshes  in  an  effort  to  break  the  Ameri 
can  line.  Gen.  Hughes,  however,  attacked  them  strongly  from  the  city, 
drawing  off  such  men  as  he  could  spare  from  police  work  and  fire  fight 
ing. 

Shells  from  the  Monadnock. 

Outside  the  city  the  Filipino  forces  made  a  concentrated  attack  on 
General  MacArthur's  front,  near  Caloocan.  This  wras  shortly  before 
noon.  The  American  artillery  was  brought  into  play  at  the  first  sign 
of  hostilities,  and  this,  with  a  deadly  fire  from  the  rifles,  kept  the  enemy 
in  check.  This  fighting  was  plainly  visible  from  the  bay,  and  it  became 
the  duty  of  the  signal  corps  to  indicate  the  positions  of  bodies  of  insur 
gents  to  the  Monadnock.  The  consequence  of  this  maneuver  was  that 
the  gunners  in  the  twin  turrets  of  the  monitor  were  soon  sending 
10-inch  shells  humming  clear  over  the  American  lines  to  fall  and  burst 
among  the  Filipinos,  who  could  in  no  wray  escape  this  long-range 
bombardment. 

Many  of  the  monitor's  shells  set  fire  to  the  native  habitations  and  to 
the  brushwood,  adding  greatly  to  the  desolation  of  the  scene  for  miles 
around  Manila.  There  were  also  other  fires  in  the  environs,  for  the 
insurgents  continued  to  carry  out  their  policy  of  devastation  by  fire, 
even  when  it  could  not  possibly  injure  the  Americans. 

After  two  hours  of  shelling  from  the  Monadnock  the  enemy  had 
practically  ceased  to  trouble  our  force  at  Caloocan,  and  hundreds  of 
them  lay  dead  in  their  tracks. 

Meanwhile  other  bands  of  natives  wTere  being  fought  off  at  Santa 
Cruz  and  San  Nicolas.  Indeed,  they  even  attempted  to  invade  the  out 
skirts  of  the  city  itself  in  the  vicinity  of  the  turbulent  Tondo  district, 
with  its  teeming  native  population. 

There  was  every  indication  of  a  desperate  movement  having  been 
planned  to  include  every  conceivable  form  of  annoyance  to  the  Ameri 
can  forces,  inside  the  city  and  out.  It  is  evident  that  incendiarism  was 
designed  to  throw  the  invaders  into  confusion,  and  that  if  our  soldiers 
had  not  been  so  prompt  to  meet  the  emergency  an  attempt  would  have 
been  made  to  capture  the  city  and  put  the  foreign  residents  to  the 


OUR  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS.  333 

sword.  The  spirited  attacks  all  along  the  line  were  a  part  of  this  scheme. 
That  it  failed  in  its  object  was  due  to  American  generalship  and  Ameri 
can  pluck. 

A  considerable  force  of  insurgents  had  advanced  from  Balik-Balik, 
intending  to  force  their  way  through  our  lines  and  enter  Manila  during 
the  conflagration.  Finding  this  impossible  they  remained  in  hiding 
around  the  edges  of  a  clearing  in  the  woods  beyond  San  Juan  del  Monte. 
On  the  24th  several  companies  of  the  First  Wyoming  regiment,  which 
guarded  that  part  of  the  American  line,  were  sent  against  them,  and 
after  a  sharp  engagement  succeeded  in  forcing  them  to  beat  a  retreat. 
The  Filipinos  left  thirty  dead  among  the  thickets  where  they  had  fought. 

Enemy  Has  Dummy  Rifles. 

A  surprising  discovery  was  made  when  insurgents  captured  on  the 
skirmish  line  were  brought  in.  It  was  found  that  many  of  them  were 
armed  with  dummy  rifles,  there  being  about  three  of  them  to  every 
Mauser.  The  bluff  made  by  the  dummies  having  been  discovered,  the 
secret  of  the  apparently  excellent  equipment  of  the  insurgents  was 
revealed. 

It  was  a  source  of  wonder  to  General  Otis  where  arms  could  have 
come  from.  The  Consul-General  at  Hong  Kong  insisted  that  he  had 
suppressed  the  shipping  of  rifles  and  ammunition  from  that  port;  but 
armed  bodies  of  insurgents  carrying  equipment  seemingly  of  the  first 
class  were  numerous,  and  it  was  asserted  by  the  Spaniards  that  the 
insurgents  were  continually  receiving  guns. 

Guerrilla  warfare  was  adopted  by  the  Filipinos.  W7ith  knives 
concealed  they  would  lie  in  wait,  and  slipping  out  noiselessly,  stab 
Americans  in  the  back.  Americans  compelled  to  be  on  the  streets  all 
carried  revolvers  and  on  a  number  of  occasions  were  compelled  to  use 
them  against  the  assassins. 

The  United  States  transport  Scandia,  which  arrived  at  Manila  with 
the  Twentieth  Infantry  on  the  23rd,  was  joyously  greeted,  and  no  time 
was  lost  in  getting  the  troops  ashore.  Temporary  quarters  wrere  speed 
ily  arranged  for  them,  and  the  men  were  wild  with  joy  on  learning  that 
they  had  arrived  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  fighting. 


334  OUK  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS. 


A  Period  of  Comparative  Quiet. 

A  cessation  of  hostilities  followed  these  aggressive  movements  on 
the  part  of  the  insurgents,  and  Manila  had  a  period  of  comparative 
quiet.  Frequent  skirmishes  with  small  bodies  of  the  enemy  engaged  the 
attention  of  the  troops,  and  many  of  them  were  taken  prisoners,  but 
there  was  little  loss  of  life  in  either  army  during  these  encounters,  and 
neither  side  gained  any  appreciable  advantage. 

President  J.  G.  Schurman,  of  Cornell  university,  and  Professor  Dean 
C.  Worcester,  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  members  of  the  United 
States  Philippine  commission,  arrived  at  Manila  from  Hong  Kong,  on 
March  4,  on  board  the  cruiser  Baltimore. 

On  March  7,  the  insurgent  forces,  to  the  number  of  several  thousand, 
were  driven  from  their  position  at  San  Juan  del  Monte  with  great  loss. 
A  conference  of  the  regimental  and  brigade  commanders  in  the  early 
morning  decided  on  making  the  attack.  General  Ilale's  brigade, 
wrhich  had  been  holding  the  water  works  against  the  repeated 
attacks  of  the  Filipinos,  swept  forward  in  the  form  of  a  V, 
with  the  open  ends  towards  the  Pasig  river.  This  form  of  advance 
inclosed  the  rebel  position  completely  and  permitted  a  terrible  concen 
tration  of  fire. 

The  positions  of  the  American  forces  were  as  follows:  On  the  west, 
the  Wyoming  regiment;  on  the  northeast,  the  Nebraska  and  Twentieth 
Infantry;  on  the  river  side  a  gunboat  was  detailed  for  the  action  to  shell 
the  enemy  in  retreat. 

Brilliant  Charge  by  Americans. 

As  soon  as  the  lines  were  well  under  way  in  the  massed  advance  the 
Wyoming  regiment  closed  in,  firing  rapidly  and  effectively.  Suddenly 
one  of  the  companies  of  the  regiment  sprang  from  the  line  with  a  cheer, 
and,  with  an  officer  at  its  head,  dashed  toward  the  insurgent  trenches. 
It  was  Company  C,  and  the  action  electrified  the  American  lines.  The 
other  companies  of  the  Wyoming  regiment  rushed  to  the  front,  and  th«j 
entire  line  swept  down  upon  the  Filipinos.  Maintaining  their  fire 
for  only  a  short  time  after  the  roaring  charge,  the  Filipinos  leaped  from 
their  earthworks  and  fled,  closely  pressed.  Retreat  was  cut  off  in  all 


OUR  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS.  335 

directions  save  toward  the  Pasig  river,  and  as  the  insurgents  turned 
that  way  they  were  met  by  a  pitiless  shelling  by  the  gunboat. 

The  infantry  lines  closed  in  at  once  from  the  east.  The  Nebraska 
regiment  was  led  by  Colonel  Stotzenberg,  who  carried  his  men  forward 
with  great  speed. 

In  the  woods  the  Filipinos  were  scattered  into  small  bands  and 
driven  along  the  river  front.  The  loss  of  the  insurgents  was  very 
heavy,  the  accurate  fire  of  the  gunboat  creating  panic  in  the  fleeing 
lines.  The  only  casualty  to  the  American  forces  was  the  wounding  of 
Private  Speach  of  the  Nebraska  regiment. 

The  American  forces  were  halted  at  the  river  for  a  rest.  The  insur 
gents  had  been  utterly  routed.  This  engagement  was  the  following  up 
of  the  advance  made  the  day  before  by  General  Hale's  brigade  in  San 
Tolan  and  Mariquina.  It  was  then  that  the  Americans  met  and  defeated 
the  largest  body  of  natives  yet  encountered.  General  Wheaton's  bri 
gade  was  also  in  action,  the  fighting  having  spread  toward  his  flank. 
The  Colorado,  Nebraska  and  Wyoming  regiments,  with  eight  field 
pieces,  the  Utah  regiment  and  two  companies  of  the  Oregon  infantry 
were  in  the  fighting  line.  In  the  rear  the  Twentieth  Infantry  was  held 
in  reserve.  Resistance  was  made  by  the  natives  the  moment  the  Ameri 
can  troops  approached  San  Tolan.  Their  fire  was  not  effective,  however, 
while  the  marksmanship  of  the  western  regiments  was  superb. 

A  river  gunboat  joined  in  the  attack  and  shelled  the  towns  as  in  the 
fighting  of  this  morning.  The  troops  in  General  Wheaton's  brigade 
were  the  California,  Idaho  and  Washington  regiments,  and  the  Sixth 
Regular  Artillery.  In  face  of  the  telling  fire  the  natives  clung  to  their 
position  before  the  towns  until  the  shells  began  dropping  among  them. 
Then  the  American  infantrymen  advanced  and  the  Filipinos  fled  from 
their  earthworks.  The}7  carried  some  of  their  dead  and  wounded  with 
them,  but  a  great  number  were  left  upon  the  field  of  battle.  Eight 
Americans  were  wounded. 

Heavy  Insurgent  Losses. 

At  daylight,  March  13,  General  WTheaton's  divisional  brigade  was 
drawn  up  on  a  ridge  behind  San  Pedro  Macati,  a  mile  south  of  the  town. 
The  advance  was  sounded  at  6:30  a.  m.,  the  cavalry  leading  the  column 
at  a  smart  trot  across  the  open  to  the  right,  eventually  reaching  a  clump 


336  OUR  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS. 

commanding  the  rear  of  Guadalupe.  Supported  by  the  Oregon  volun 
teers,  the  advance  force  opened  a  heavy  fire  on  the  Filipinos.  The 
response  was  feeble  and  desultory,  apparently  coming  from  small 
groups  of  men  in  every  covert.  While  the  right  column  was  swinging 
toward  the  town  of  Pasig  they  advanced,  pouring  volleys  into  the  bush. 
A  small  body  of  natives  made  a  determined  stand  at  Guadalupe  church, 
but  was  unable  to  withstand  the  assault. 

At  7:30  a.  m.,  a  river  gunboat  started  toward  Pasig.  The  insurgents 
were  first  encountered  by  this  vessel  in  the  jungle  near  Guadalupe. 
Steaming  slowly,  the  gunboat  poured  a  terrific  fire  from  her  gatling 
guns  into  the  brush.  For  all  of  an  hour  the  whirring  of  the  machine 
guns  alternated  with  the  booming  of  the  heavier  pieces  on  board. 

In  the  meantime  Scott's  battery  ashore  was  shelling  the  trenches 
and  driving  the  enemy  back.  The  artillery  advanced  to  the  ridge  of 
bamboo,  drove  a  few  of  the  enemy's  sharpshooters  away  with  volleys 
from  their  carbines  and  then  went  on  with  little  opposition. 

In  the  meantime  the  infantry  had  been  sent  forward  in  extended 
order,  the  Washington  regiment  resting  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  each 
regiment  deploying  on  reaching  its  station  and  furnishing  its  own  sup 
ports.  The  entire  column  wheeled  toward  the  river,  driving  the  enemy 
before  it,  and  then  advanced  on  Guadalupe.  The  artillery  moved  to  a 
ridge  commanding  Pasig  and  Pateros. 

The  Attack   on  Pasig. 

By  this  time  the  enemy  was  in  full  flight  along  a  line  over  a  mile 
long,  and  the  firing  was  discontinued  temporarily,  in  order  to  give  the 
troops  a  rest  before  making  the  attack  on  Pasig.  After  a  short  rest 
General  W^heaton  resumed  the  attack  on  Pasig.  Scott's  battery,  sup 
ported  by  twro  companies  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  advanced  on 
Guadalupe  by  the  road  along  the  river  bank,  the  remainder  of  the 
Twentieth  Regiment  and  the  Twenty-second  Regiment  following  with 
the  reserve  of  the  Oregon  volunteers. 

At  11:30  a.  m.  the  column  came  in  contact  with  the  enemy,  and  a 
gunboat  steamed  to  the  firing  line  and  cleared  the  jungle  on  both  sides, 
while  the  battery  took  up  a  position  on  a  bluff  at  the  right.  The  first 
shot  from  the  American  field  pieces,  at  1,200  yards  range,  dismounted  a 
gun  of  the  enemy  at  Pasig.  After  the  town  had  been  shelled  the  Twen- 


OUR  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS.  337 

tieth  Regiment  lined  up  on  the  bluff  and  the  Twenty-Second  took  up  a 
position  on  the  left  of  the  place,  with  the  cavalry  in  the  center,  where 
upon  the  enemy  retreated  to  the  town.  The  gunboat  then  moved  into 
a  bend  opposite,  and  a  hot  fire  on  the  Filipino  position  was  maintained 
along  the  whole  American  line  until  2:20  p.  m.,  when  preparations  were 
made  for  the  attack. 

At  3  p.  m.  our  gunboat  started  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy's  armed  tug, 
chasing  her  to  the  lake.  At  3:30  p.  m.  a  large  body  of  the  enemy  was 
discovered  working  around  our  right  flank,  and  the  Twentieth  Regiment 
wras  moved  to  a  commanding  ridge.  The  natives  were  met  opposite 
Pateros,  but  they  bolted. 

Thirty  of  the  insurgents  were  killed,  sixteen  were  taken  prisoners, 
and  the  Americans  lost  six  men  wounded. 

An  attempt  was  made  to 'secure  a  passage  across  the  river  to  the 
island  on  which  the  town  of  Pasig  is  built,  but  it  was  a  failure  and  in 
consequence  the  insurgents,  taking  advantage  of  the  darkness  of  the 
night,  returned  in  force  to  the  town.  There  they  were  found  the  fol 
lowing  morning  strongly  intrenched,  and  a  desperate  fight,  lasting  for 
seven  hours,  was  made  against  them  by  the  troops  of  General  Wheaton's 
brigade. 

The  left  wing  of  the  American  forces,  consisting  of  the  Twentieth 
and  Twenty-second  infantry,  crossed  the  river  and  made  a  detour  to  the 
rear  of  Pasig.  Meanwhile  the  Washington  volunteers  on  the  right  cap 
tured  Taguig  and  took  350  prisoners.  The  troops  of  the  brigade  which 
were  not  engaged  in  crossing  the  river  fired  volleys  from  the  shore, 
sweeping  the  Filipino  trenches  writh  their  bullets. 

By  these  movements  the  natives  were  almost  surrounded,  but  the 
numerous  creeks  flowing  through  the  flat  and  muddy  country  greatly 
delayed  the  progress  of  the  American  troops,  thus  affording  loopholes 
for  the  insurgents,  with  the  result  that  many  of  them  escaped.  Three 
thousand  Filipinos  took  part  in  this  action.  Four  hundred  of  them  were 
killed.  There  was  fierce  street  fighting  in  Pasig  before  the  last  of  the 
enemy  was  driven  out  or  captured.  Pateros  had  been  reoccupied 
by  the  insurgents,  and  this  town  was  also  captured  after  severe  fighting. 
In  this  action  one  American  was  killed  and  five  were  wounded. 

With  the  capture  of  Pasig,  Pateros  and  Taguig,  the  American  forces 
held  complete  possession  of  the  Pasig  river  from  the  Bay  of  Manila  to 
the  Laguna  de  Bay.  This  distance  is  only  eight  miles,  but  control  of  it 


338  OUR  WAR  WITH  THE   FILIPINOS. 

practically  divided  the  island  of  Luzon  into  two  parts.  Laguna  de  Bay 
is  a  great  inland  bod}'  of  water  over  100  miles  in  circumference.  The 
Pasig  river,  eight  miles  long,  is  the  Laguna's  outlet  to  the  sea  at  Manila. 
Pateros  is  a  place  of  2,842  people,  according  to  the  latest  Spanish 
census.  Only  a  mile  eastward  toward  Laguna  is  Taguig,  with  9,G64 
people.  Pasig  is  three  miles  beyond  Taguig,  and  commands  the  exit  of 
the  Pasig  river  from  Laguna  de  Bay.  It  is  more  of  a  city,  being  a  trans 
shipping  point  for  the  commerce  which  passes  between  the  country  bor 
dering  on  the  lake  and  Manila.  The  channel  between  Pasig  city  and 
the  south  side  of  the  river  is  much  larger  than  those  which  separate 
Pateros  and  Taguig.  The  crossing  of  this  water  and  the  taking  of  Pasig 
wrere  the  crowning  feats  of  the  forward  movement  of  Wheaton. 

Another  Lively  Battle. 

The  First  battalion  of  the  Twentieth  infantry  regiment  advanced 
from  Pasig,  on  March  16,  clearing  the  country  to  Cainti,  a  well-defended 
village  of  TOO  inhabitants  five  miles  northwest  of  the  foothills.  The 
troops  first  encountered  the  Filipino  outposts  in  the  dense  jungle  on  the 
banks  of  the  river.  The  enemy  was  dislodged  after  half  an  hour's  fight 
ing.  The  Americans  advanced  in  splendid  manner  under  a  heavy  fire 
until  they  were  ready  to  volley  the  natives  from  the  trenches.  The 
latter  had  a  great  advantage  and  dropped  a  number  of  our  men.  The 
Americans  charged  across  the  rice  fields,  making  four  advances  on  the 
enemy,  who  numbered  1,000  men,  500  of  whom  were  intrenched,  and  in 
the  face  of  a  cross-fire.  Our  troops  carried  the  town  after  four  hours' 
fighting  and  burned  the  outskirts,  the  insurgents  firing  from  the  win 
dows  and  keeping  up  a  running  fire  in  the  streets.  The  Americans  then 
withdrew  in  order  to  obtain  more  ammunition. 

The  Filipinos  lost  about  100  men,  and  the  American  loss  was  two 
killed  and  thirteen  wounded. 

Aguinaldo  in  the  Trenches. 

During  all  these  days  of  battle  Aguinaldo  was  a  daily  visitor  in  the 
trenches  and  outposts  of  the  insurgent  army.  He  was  received  enthus 
iastically  everywhere  by  the  troops. 


OUR  WAR  WITH  THE  FILIPINOS.  339 

The  Filipino  government  established  pensions  for  disabled  private 
soldiers  of  $7  (Mexican)  a  month.  Officers  were  to  receive  more  according 
to  their  grade,  majors  receiving  $30  a  month  and  generals  $50.  The 
widows  of  privates  were  allotted  $7,  of  officers  below  the  grade  of  gen 
eral  $10,  and  of  generals  $15  a  month.  Another  decree  of  the  govern 
ment  empowered  provincial  governors  to  levy  contributions  arbitrarily 
on  the  inhabitants  under  their  supervision  whenever  the  revenue  from 
legitimate  sources  should  have  become  exhausted. 

Arrival  of  the  Oregon. 

Just  at  sunset,  on  the  evening  of  March  18,  while  the  band  on  shore 
was  playing  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner,"  with  the  troops  at  parade 
and  the  warships  in  the  harbor  lowering  their  colors,  the  battleship 
Oregon  steamed  into  Manila  Bay,  saluted  Admiral  Dewey,  and  dropped 
anchor  amid  the  cheers  of  seamen  afloat  and  soldiers  ashore. 

The  Oregon  made  the  voyage  from  Honolulu  without  incident,  and 
arrived  in  as  perfect  condition  as  when  it  made  its  famous  trip  around 
the  Horn  to  help  smash  the  Spanish  fleet  off  Santiago. 

The  arrival  of  General  Lawton  made  a  reorganization  of  the  Ameri 
can  forces  necessary,  and  two  divisions  of  three  brigades  each  were 
formed. 

General  Lawton  assumed  command  of  the  First,  which  consisted 
of  the  Washington,  North  Dakota,  and  California  volunteers,  under  Gen 
eral  King;  six  troops  of  the  Fourth  cavalry,  the  Fourteenth  regulars, 
the  Idaho  volunteers,  and  a  battalion  of  the  Iowa  troops,  under  General 
Ovenshine;  the  Third  and  Twenty-second  regular  infantry  and  the  Ore 
gon  regiment,  under  General  Wheaton,  and  Dyer's  and  Hawthorne's 
light  batteries. 

General  Mac  Arthur's  division  consisted  of  two  batteries  of  the  Third 
artillery,  the  Kansas  and  Montana  volunteers,  under  General  H.  G.  Otis; 
the  Colorado,  Nebraska  and  South  Dakota  regiments,  and  six  companies 
of  the  Pennsylvanians,  under  General  Hale;  the  Fourth  and  Seventh 
regulars,  the  Minnesota  and  Wyoming  volunteers,  and  the  Utah 
artillery. 

A  separate  brigade  was  assigned  to  provost  guard  duty,  consisting  of 
the  Twentieth  and  eight  companies  of  the  Twenty-third  regular 
infantry. 


340  OUR  WAK  WITH  THE  FILIPINOS. 


A  Letter  From  the  Front. 

Correspondent  McCutcheon,  writing  from  Manila  under  date  of 
March  19,.  sent  the  following  interesting  account  of  affairs  in  the  island 
at  that  time: 

"When  the  Esmeralda  arrived  this  morning  from  Hong  Kong  after  a 
fearful  experience  with  the  China  sea  I  went  ashore,  and  had  barely 
reached  the  Hotel  Oriente  when  I  heard  that  General  Wheaton's  com 
mand  had  been  fighting  the  evening  before  near  Taguig.  Reports  indi 
cated  that  the  fighting  still  continued.  Taguig  is  at  the  junction  of  the 
Pasig  river  and  the  lake,  about  ten  miles  from  the  center  of  Manila.  It 
has  been  the  scene  of  several  skirmishes  lately. 

"Another  correspondent  and  I  at  once  started  for  the  trouble  zone. 
The  streets  of  Manila  were  almost  deserted  and  there  was  a  quiet  about 
the  town  that  contrasted  strongly  with  the  condition  of  things  three 
months  ago.  Then  everything  was  booming  and  optimists  firmly 
believed  that  hostilities  between  the  Americans  and  insurgents  were 
highly  improbable.  Now  the  die  was  cast  and  each  day  for  the  last 
month  and  a  half  had  told  a  tale  of  slaughter  and  military  activity. 

"As  we  finally  left  the  limits  of  the  suburbs  and  reached  the  lonely 
roads  through  the  paddy  fields  southeast  of  Paco  we  encountered  an 
occasional  soldier,  who  told  awful  stories  of  the  fight  at  the  front.  The 
first  report  was  that  eighty  Americans  had  been  captured,  a  number 
killed  and  many  wounded.  Another  report  was  more  moderate,  and 
another  was  that  many  of  the  prisoners  had  been  subjected  to  inhuman 
torture.  Each  report  was  distinguished  by  some  picturesque  feature 
that  had  grown  from  the  retelling  or  from  the  narrator's  imagination. 

"At  San  Pedro  Macati  we  left  our  vehicle  and  secured  tough  little 
ponies  for  the  remainder  of  the  trip.  Soon  afterward  we  passed  the 
American  trenches  and  rode  on  to  intercept  General  Wheaton's  com 
mand,  which  was  supposed  to  be  on  the  shores  of  the  lake  about  three 
miles  further  on.  At  the  Pasig  ferry  there  was  a  hospital  corps  waiting 
the  remainder  of  the  wounded  and  dead  coming  down  the  river  in 
launches.  One  launch  had  already  gone  on  to  Manila  with  about  twenty 
wounded  men  from  the  skirmish  of  the  night  before.  We  were  informed 
that  General  Wheaton  was  about  a  mile  beyond  the  ferry.  A  ride  of 


OTJK  WAR  WITH  THE  FILIPINOS.  341 

iialf  a  mile  brought  us  to  strings  of  bullock  carts  and  evidences  of  a 
soldiers'  encampment. 

"Here  we  found  General  Wheaton.  He  occupied  a  picturesque  head 
quarters  on  a  little  slope  at  the  side  of  the  road,  his  house  being  a  rough 
nipa-thatched  shelter.  The  general  had  just  returned  and  was  in  his 
undershirt,  with  a  soiled  service-beaten  pair  of  khaki  trousers.  His  face 
showed  the  effects  of  the  spirited  work  of  the  past  week  and  he  looked 
tired.  Still  he  was  studying  carefully  a  blue-print  map  of  the  lake 
district  and  figuring  out  future  movements.  He  was  flushed  with  the 
success  of  the  day's  work,  for  his  command  had  routed  the  insurgents, 
killing  a  great  number  of  them,  and  then,  not  satisfied  with  this,  had 
chased  them  fifteen  miles  down  the  lake  shore,  the  insurgents  burning 
the  towns  as  they  fled  through  them.  When  the  Americans  got  through 
the  Pasig  country  was  rid  of  every  insurrecto  for  the  time  being.  The 
Americans  then  began  their  march  back  to  the  camp,  but  had  not 
arrived  at  the  time.  General  Wheaton  estimated  the  insurgent  losses 
for  the  wreek  at  about  2,000,  while  the  Americans  had  lost  fewer  than 
fifteen  killed  and  fifty  wounded. 

"The  general  strikes  me  as  being  a  regular  fighting  man  without 
frills.  His  policy  is  to  sail  in  and  mow  a  clean  swath  in  any  direction 
as  long  as  there  is  an  insurgent,  and  the  work  seems  to  agree  with  him. 


See  No  Natives  in  Manila. 

i 

"The  streets  of  Manila  at  night  are  absolutely  deserted  except  for 
soldiers  and  an  occasional  white  man.  There  are  no  natives  to  be  seen 
anywhere.  There  is  a  great  deal  less  apprehension  than  there  was  a  few 
days  ago,  and  people  are  growing  accustomed  to  the  conditions  of 
affairs.  Rumors  are  thick,  and  there  is  always  a.  feeling  of  expectation 
that  is  now  the  natural  thing.  No  one  can  predict  where  the  next  out 
break  will  be,  for  the  reason  that  the  insurgents  are  now  operating  in  a 
flying  column,  and  attack  one  American  section  of  the  line  one  night 
and  probably  another  several  miles  away  the  next. 

"The  Americans  now  have  divided  the  insurgents  north  of  Manila 
and  those  south  of  the  city,  so  that  communication  between  the  two 
divided  forces  is  difficult.  The  gunboats  control  the  lake  and  the  navy 
the  sea  and  bay,  so  that  it  is  almost  impossible  for  the  two  forces  to 


342  OUR  WAR  WITH  THE  FILIPINOS. 

join  without  making  the  long  and  difficult  trip  around  the  lake  on  its 
eastern  shore. 

"It  is  believed  that  the  only  operation  that  will  have  a  decisive  effect 
will  be  a  big  movement  north  toward  Malolos  and  San  Fernando,  but 
there  are  not  enough  Americans  here  to  do  that  now.  On  the  arrival 
of  the  troops  now  on  the  way  something  may  be  done,  but  there  is  a 
feeling  that  at  least  G0,000  troops  will  be  necessary  to  protect  the  city 
and  to  form  powerful  flying  columns  north  and  south.  If  the  insurgents 
can  be  driven  from  the  big  cultivated  valley  which  runs  north  through 
the  island  and  chased  into  the  mountains,  it  is  thought  their  zeal  will 
diminish  tremendously." 

Native  Villages  Burned. 

On  the  night  of  March  18  some  of  the  Filipinos  who  had  been  driven 
from  Cavite  and  the  small  towns  in  the  vicinity  of  Pasig  combined 
forces  and  attacked  a  company  of  the  Washington  volunteers,  a 
detached  post  at  Taguig,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  southeast  of  Pasig. 
General  Wheaton  immediately  re-enforced  the  Americans  with  two  com 
panies  each  of  the  Washington  and  the  Oregon  regiments.  The  post  had 
held  the  enemy  in  check,  and  the  fire  of  the  re-enforcing  companies 
repulsed  them,  driving  them  across  to  an  island  formed  by  the  estuary. 
They  were  thus  in  front  of  the  Twenty-second  regulars. 

On  discovering  that  they  were  entrapped  the  natives  fought  des 
perately,  aided  materially  by  the  jungle  and  the  darkness,  but  they  were 
completely  routed,  with  heavy  loss,  after  two  hours'  fighting.  The 
Americans  lost  two  killed  and  twenty  wounded,  among  the  latter  Lieut, 
Frank  Jones. 

General  W^heaton  determined  to  punish  the  natives,  and  at  daybreak 
the  following  morning  his  brigade  started  in  the  following  order:  The 
Sixth  artillery  holding  the  extreme  right,  the  Oregon  volunteers  head 
ing  the  center,  the  Washington  regiment  keeping  to  the  edge  of  the  lake, 
and  the  Twenty-second  regulars  occupying  the  right  of  the  line,  which 
swept  the  whole  country  along  the  lake,  in  a  southeasterly  direction, 
toward  General  Ovenshine's  position.  The  line,  thus  extended  over  two 
miles  of  country,  rough  and  covered  with  thick  jungle,  advanced  eleven 
miles.  The  enemy  fled,  and  were  pursued  by  the  American  troops  fifteen 
miles  down  the  shores  of  the  lake  to  San  Pedro  Tunoaon.  During  this 


GENERAL  ARTHUR  MACARTHUR 


GENERAL  WILLIAM   LAWTON 


OUR  WAR  WITH  THE  FILIPINOS.  345 

exciting  foot  race  the  Filipinos  and  Americans  burned  ten  Tillages,  the 
former  applying  the  torch  when  forced  to  retreat,  and  the  latter  dis 
lodging  by  flames  persistent  guerrillas  who  fired  upon  the  troops  from 
the  windows  of  houses. 

The  flying  brigade,  after  making  this  long  excursion  into  the  enemy's 
territory,  returned  to  its  former  position  at  Taguig,  exhausted  by  the 
hard  work  under  a  hot  sun.  The  Oregon  regiment  had  one  man  killed 
and  four  wounded,  and  the  Twenty-second  regulars  one  wounded.  The 
official  reports  gave  no  fewer  than  200  Filipinos  killed. 

The  armed  tugs  Laguna  de  Bay  and  Oeste  returned  to  San  Pedro 
Macati  on  March  18,  and  reported  the  results  of  their  tour  of  the  lake. 
They  shelled  the  town  of  Morengo,  the  Filipinos  fleeing  without  making 
any  response  to  the  fire.  The  Americans  landed  a  party,  which  de 
stroyed  a  quantity  of  stores  and  all  the  stone  buildings,  except  the 
church.  The  expedition  then  proceeded  to  Majayjay,  where  a  sugar 
mill  and  saw  mill  were  destroyed. 

On  arriving  at  Santa  Cruz,  a  town  of  1,200  inhabitants,  it  was  found 
that  the  enemy  was  strongly  intrenched  and  prepared  to  defend  the  posi 
tion,  assisted  by  two  gunboats  and  several  launches.  Moreover,  the 
mouth  of  the  river  was  blocked  with  rocks  and  bamboo.  A  few  shells 
caused  an  exodus  of  the  citizens,  but  not  of  the  enemy's  troops.  The 
Americans  did  not  attempt  a  landing. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

V 

CAMPAIGNING   IN  LUZON. 

The  Fighting  Continues — Burning  Native  Huts — Many  Killed  on  Both  Sides 
— The    Advance    on    Malolos — Lawton    Captures    Santa     Cruz — Our 
Men   Wade  Ashore   Under      Fire — In   the   Hands   of    the     Enemy — 
General  Lawton  Evacuates  the  Captured  Towns — General  Otis'  Opin 
ion — Revival  of  Confidence  Among  the  Filipinos. 

Severe  fighting  was  begun  on  the  morning  of  March  25  northeast  of 
Caloocan.  Preparations  for  the  movement  were  elaborate  and  arranged 
with  the  utmost  care  and  foresight.  The  general  formation  was:  Gen 
eral  Hale's  brigade  in  front;  behind  it  were  massed  the  brigades  of  Gen 
erals  Harrison  Gray  Otis  and  Hall;  General  Wheaton's  brigade  was 
placed  in  the  rear. 

This  force  numbered,  roughly  estimated,  12,000  men — about  the 
same  as  the  estimated  strength  of  the  enemy,  who,  however,  were 
strongly  intrenched  in  dense  jungles,  into  which  our  men  would  have  to 
force  their  way  after  crossing  a  large  open  space,  exposed  to  the  full 
force  of  the  Filipino  fire. 

The  regiments  in  our  line  averaged  about  800  men  each.  These  regi 
ments  were  the  Third  Artillery,  Montana  Volunteers,  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers,  Nebraska  Volunteers,  Wyoming  Volunteers,  Colorado  Vol 
unteers,  South  Dakota  Volunteers,  Oregon  Volunteers,  Third  Regulars, 
Fourth  Regulars,  Seventeenth  Regulars,  Twenty-second  Regulars, 
Twenty-third  Regulars,  Utah  Artillery,  and  the  Minnesota  Volunteers. 

This  force,  excepting  General  Wheaton's  brigade,  which  had  been 
detached  from  General  Lawton's  division  south  of  the  Pasig  river,  rep 
resented  the  northern  portion  of  the  original  semicircular  line  back  of 
Manila.  The  advances  of  the  last  two  weeks  had  brought  it  to  Caloocan 
as  a  center,  while  the  retreat  of  the  enemy  had  established  its  center 
on  Novaliches,  a  short  march  to  the  northeast. 

The  left  of  our  line  extended  as  far  north  on  Manila  bay  as  Malabon, 
nearly  due  west  of  Polo,  the  objective  point  of  the  movement,  the  design 

346 


CAMPAIGNING  IN  LUZON.  347 

being  to  imprison  the  enemy  there  between  the  bay  and  our  line  to  the 
east  and  north. 

The  effect  of  this  plan  of  operation  was  to  drive  a  wedge  through  the 
heart  of  the  insurgent  army  and  effect  its  complete  disorganization 
by  imprisoning  nearly  half  of  it  between  our  line,  extending  at  an  angle 
on  the  south  and  the  northeast,  and  Manila  bay. 

Our  movement  began  before  dawn.  Under  cover  of  the  darkness  the 
brigades  of  General  H.  G.  Otis  and  General  Hale  left  their  trenches  and 
made  a  rapid  advance.  They  came  close  upon  the  enemy's  first  line 
without  being  detected.  Their  vacated  positions  were  immediately  oc 
cupied  by  the  brigades  of  General  Wheaton  and  General  Hall. 

At  4  o'clock  the  advancing  force  stopped  for  breakfast.  Our  camp 
fires  warned  the  Filipinos  and  their  buglers  called  to  arms.  This  was 
the  signal  for  our  advance  to  the  attack.  Between  our  front  and  the 
enemy's  first  line  there  was  a  mile  of  rough,  open  country.  While  we 
wrere  crossing  this,  without  any  sort  of  shelter,  the  insurgents  were  well 
protected  in  the  edge  of  the  woods,  in  trenches  four  feet  deep,  behind 
tangles  of  underbrush. 

Advance  on  Double  Quick. 

Our  troops  advanced  on  the  double  quick,  yelling  fiercely.  Occasion 
ally  they  dropped  in  the  grass  for  an  instant,  firing  by  volley,  adopting 
American  tactics  for  the  first  time.  The  Filipinos  reserved  their  fire 
until  we  were  within  1,000  yards  of  them.  Then  they  suddenly  replied 
to  our  volleys  with  a  galling  fire  across  the  open  stretch  we  were 
crossing. 

The  enemy's  fire  was  the  more  galling  for  the  reason  that  their  aim 
was  better  than  in  previous  engagements.  They  fired  lower,  their  bul 
lets  driving  a  cloud  of  dust  into  the  faces  of  our  advancing  troops. 

But  the  Americans  never  hesitated.  They  rushed  forward,  cheering 
and  continuing  their  volleys  with  appalling  effect,  carrying  everything 
before  them.  When  we  were  200  yards  distant  from  the  enemy's  line 
they  began  to  break  and  run  for  the  woods.  At  short  range  our  volleys 
mowed  down  those  who  still  resisted,  so  that  when  our  men  stood  in  the 
enemy's  outermost  position  they  saw  that  their  further  pursuit  would 
be  over  the  bodies  of  dead  and  disabled  insurgents. 

At  this  stage  of  the  engagement  the  Montana  and  Kansas  troops 


348  CAMPAIGNING  IN  LUZON. 

made  a  splendid  display  of  military  ardor  and  skill.  The  hottest  resis 
tance  of  the  rebel  line  was  offered  to  them  from  an  intrenchment  from 
which  night  attacks  had  greatly  worried  the  Americans  of  late.  The 
men  of  Kansas  and  Montana  repaid  the  debt  with  interest. 

At  6  a.  m. — ninety  minutes  after  the  start — our  line  had  cleared  the 
enemy's  front  for  a  distance  of  three  miles  to  the  north.  While  General 
Mac-Arthur's  division  swung  to  the  left,  driving  the  Filipinos  into  the 
jungle  on  all  sides,  General  Hale's  brigade  swept  in  a  northwesterly 
direction.  It  put  the  enemy  to  rout,  and  burned  the  town  of  San  Fran 
cisco  del  Monte. 

Our  line  was  then  opposite  the  enemy's  center  at  Novaliche.  The 
artillery  was  advancing  rapidly,  there  being  a  good  road  from  Laloma, 
its  starting  point,  to  the  insurgents'  central  position.  Immediately  be 
hind  the  artillery  came  the  wagons,  carrying  pontoons,  telegraph  sup 
plies,  and  ammunition.  The  advance  of  the  infantry  was  in  splendid 
order. 

In  accordance  with  instructions  General  Wheaton's  brigade  had  re 
mained  in  the  trenches.  This  division  joined  the  general  movement  at 
noon,  but  during  the  forenoon  it  engaged  the  enemy  betAveen  Malabon 
and  the  River  Tuliahan.  The  opposition  wras  strong,  but  the  enemy  was 
forced  to  retire. 

While  the  brigades  of  Generals  Harrison  Gray  Otis  and  Hale  wrere 
advancing  on  the  strongly  intrenched  towns  of  Novaliches  and  Polo  in 
the  forenoon  and  capturing  Francisco  del  Monte  and  Mariquina,  they 
swept  the  country  clear  to  the  wrater  works  and  the  foothills. 

The  American  advance  was  marked  by  burning  huts  of  the  natives. 
Chinese,  leading  ambulances  and  horse  litters,  brought  in  our  wounded. 
Among  them  were  a  few  Filipinos. 

Among  the  nine  prisoners  taken  during  the  forenoon  by  the  Penn 
sylvania  troops  was  a  giant  captain  of  the  Macabebe  tribe.  He  was 
stark  naked  and  looked  a  terrible  fellow,  though  quite  cowed.  All  the 
prisoners  were  in  a  state  of  abject  terror.  They  anticipated  instant 
execution. 

Capturing  the  Railroad. 

Early  in  the  afternoon  the  forces  of  General  Hale  and  General  Otis 
captured  the  railroad.  This  hastened  the  climax  of  the  day's  triumph, 


CAMPAIGNING   IN  LUZON.  349 

as  it  practically  cornered  the  flower  of  Aguinaldo's  arrny  at  Malabon 
and  in  the  foothills  at  Singalon,  twenty  miles  apart. 

The  brilliant  exploit  of  the  Third  Artillery  and  the  Kansas  regiment 
in  crossing  the  Tuliahan  river  and  capturing  a  blockhouse  under  a  fierce 
rain  of  bullets  occurred  late  in  the  afternoon.  They  were  moving  in 
a  northwesterly  direction  toward  Polo,  while  General  MacArthur,  with 
the  remainder  of  General  Otis'  and  General  Hale's  brigades,  was  ad 
vancing  south  of  the  river  in  a  position  to  attack  Polo.  This  division 
was  then  within  five  miles  of  Polo  and  two  miles  of  Novaliches.  To  pro 
tect  General  Hale's  right  General  Hall  moved  to  Banlac,  meeting  with 
strong  opposition.  Meanwhile  the  Oregon  regiment  and  a  portion  of  the 
Utah  battery  under  Lieutenant  Gibbs  occupied  the  extreme  left. 

The  sensational  attack  upon  the  blockhouse  by  the  Kansas  regiment, 
which  swam  the  river  to  make  it,  seemed  to  paralyze  the  natives.  They 
had  disguised  the  house  as  a  leper  hospital,  and  imagined  that  our  men 
would  give  it  a  wide  berth. 

Casualties  on  the  American  side  were  about  200  during  the  day, 
mostly  wounded.  The  Filipinos  were  slaughtered  everywhere,  the  field 
being  strewn  with  their  wounded  and  dead  soldiers.  The  fight  was  con 
tinued  on  the  following  day,  and  in  this  engagement  General  Wheaton's 
brigade  figured  almost  exclusively. 

Evidently  anticipating  a  bombardment  by  the  fleet,  a  thousand  Fili 
pinos  vacated  Malabon,  leaving  a  few  to  burn  the  town.  General 
Wheaton's  brigade,  composed  of  the  Second  Oregon  Regiment,  and  the 
Twenty-second  and  Twenty-third  Infantry,  stretched  out  along  the  rail 
road  from  Caloocan  to  the  Tuliahan  river,  was  powerless  to  prevent  the 
withdrawal,  owing  to  the  natural  obstacles  and  to  the  strong  opposition. 

In  the  meantime  General  Wheaton's  brigade  held  the  railroad  to  the 
river,  but  was  unable  either  to  repair  the  bridge,  which  had  been  de 
stroyed  by  the  enemy,  or  to  advance,  owing  to  the  opposition  and  the 
hills  on  the  other  side. 

The  calculations  of  both  General  Hale  and  General  Harrison  Gray 
Otis,  whose  brigades  constituted  General  MacArthur's  division,  were 
much  interfered  with  by  the  character  of  the  country  in  front  of  both, 
and  the  enemy  was  able  to  take  advantage  of  this,  so  that  the  operations 
against  Novaliches  and  Polo  were  delayed,  though  the  right  wing  of  the 
division  swung  out,  sweeping  the  enemy  in  a  northwesterly  direction. 

General  Wheaton's  headquarters  was  a  half-mile  south  of  the  river, 


350  CAMPAIGNING    IN   LUZON. 

on  the  road.  The  opposite  bank  was  protected  by  a  blockhouse  and  in- 
trenchrnents.  Occasionally  the  artillery  and  infantry  fired  across  the 
stream.  Finally  the  engineers  moved  a  construction  train  up  to  the 
bridge,  the  iron  framework  of  which  remained,  and  began  to  replace  the 
floor. 

While  this  was  going  on  the  Second  Oregon  Regiment  crossed  the 
river  on  the  left  and  the  Twenty-second  on  the  right,  with  four  compan 
ies  of  the  Twenty-third  infantry  supporting  the  latter  regiment.  A  ris 
ing  clear  ground  stretched  away  a  distance  of  half  a  mile  to  Malinta, 
situated  on  its  crest 

Advance  Under  a  Hot   Fire. 

In  front  of  the  village  were  strong  Filipino  intrenchments,  but  no 
Filipinos  were  to  be  seen.  The  Twenty-second  regiment  approached 
diagonally,  with  General  Wheaton  and  his  staff  close  behind  and  scouts 
closely  observing  the  ground.  When  the  Americans  were  within  about 
300  yards  of  the  intrenchments  the  Filipinos  suddenly  volleyed  heav 
ily.  The  Twenty-second,  which  was  holding  the  center,  suffered  con 
siderably,  but  with  the  Oregons  on  the  left  and  the  Kansans  on  the  right 
in  the  woods  the  fighting  was  kept  up  for  half  an  hour,  the  Twenty- 
second  infantry  advancing  up  the  slope  through  the  thick  grass  under 
the  hottest  fire. 

General  Wheaton  and  his  staff  were  all  the  time  under  a  rain  of  bul 
lets.  Colonel  Egbert,  who  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fighting,  was  shot 
in  the  abdomen.  He  was  placed  on  a  stretcher  and  an  attempt  was 
made  to  carry  him  to  the  cars,  but  he  died  on  the  way. 

It  was  a  most  affecting  scene.  General  Wheaton,  baring  his  head, 
said:  "You  have  done  nobly."  Colonel  Egbert  gasped  in  reply:  "I  must 
die;  I  am  too  old." 

No  Filipinos  were  found  in  the  trenches.  Though  apparently  their 
force  was  much  smaller  than  that  of  the  Americans,  they  had  an  im 
mense  advantage  in  position  and  in  opportunity  to  retreat. 

General  MacArthur's  advance  guard,  the  Third  artillery  and  the 
Twentieth  Kansas  regiment,  joined  General  WTheaton's  brigade  shortly 
after  Malinta  was  taken,  approaching  along  the  Novaliches  road 
westerly. 

The  soldiers  were  much  exhausted  and  there  were  several  prostra- 


CAMPAIGNING  IN  LUZON.  351 

tions  from  the  heat,  which  was  intense.  The  dead  and  wounded  were 
collected  in  the  shade  of  the  trees  and  carried  on  stretchers  by  Chinese 
across  the  river  to  the  train. 

Marilao  was  afterwards  burned  by  the  insurgents  who  had  escaped, 
and  they  hurriedly  retreated  to  the  north  toward  Malolos. 

Three  men  of  the  Third  artillery  were  wounded  at  the  railway  bridge. 
Three  lieutenants  of  the  Dakota  regiment  were  killed.  The  total  loss  for 
the  day  was  about  twenty  wounded  and  ten  killed.  The  total  American 
losses  during  the  three  days'  fight  were  about  30  dead  and  280  wounded. 

The  Advance  on    Malolos. 

The  American  troops  under  General  MacArthur  continued  their  for 
ward  movement  upon  Malolos,  the  Filipino  capital,  and  formed  in  battle 
line  on  the  afternoon  of  March  30,  a  mile  north  of  Guiguinto,  taking  posi 
tions  in  the  following  order  from  left  to  right:  Third  artillery,  First 
Montana,  Twentieth  Kansas,  Tenth  Pennsylvania,  First  South  Dakota, 
First  Nebraska,  Fourth  cavalry. 

At  2:30  o'clock  all  was  in  readiness  and  the  line  began  a  cautious 
advance. 

Almost  immediately  the  insurgents  began  to  pour  in  a  heavy  fire 
from  the  right,  which  fell  with  great  severity  upon  the  Nebraska  men. 
However,  the  Americans  continued  to  advance  steadily  and  rapidly 
regardless  of  the  withering  volleys,  and  soon  drove  the  rebels  from  their 
trenches,  which  had  been  masked  by  thickets. 

The  engagement  lasted  half  an  hour,  and  resulted  in  the  following 
losses  to  the  Americans:  Nebraska,  four  killed,  thirty  wounded;  Penn 
sylvania,  one  killed,  one  wounded ;  South  Dakota,  two  wounded. 

The  Americans  then  continued  their  march  without  interruption  for 
two  miles,  which  brought  them  within  two  miles  and  a  half  of  Malolos. 
Here  they  came  upon  an  insurgent  outpost,  and  beyond  it  they  could 
see  strong  intrenchments.  A  native  came  forward  from  the  insurgent 
lines  under  a  white  flag  and  asked  for  mercy  for  all  the  unarmed  persons. 
Being  assured  that  such  persons  would  not  be  harmed  the  messenger  re 
tired  to  the  trenches,  and  immediately  the  insurgents  opened  a  sharp 
fire,  but  this  was  soon  silenced  and  the  trenches  were  captured  with  a 
rush. 

The  troops  under  General  MacArthur  and  the  reserve  under  General 


352  CAMPAIGNING   IN  LUZON. 

Wheaton  slept  on  their  arms  that  night  and  arose  at  dawn,  keyed  up  for 
a  desperate  battle.  After  a  hasty  breakfast  in  the  early  morn 
ing  the  troops  formed  in  line  ready  for  the  attack.  It  was  rumored  at 
that  hour  that  Aguinaldo,  commanding  a  force  of  30,000  men,  was  pre 
paring  to  defend  the  insurgent  capital  to  the  last  extremity.  General 
MacArthur,  however,  discredited  this  report,  though  the  fact  that 
Malolos,  which  was  in  plain  sight  a  mile  and  a  half  away,  showed  no 
signs  of  conflagrations  seemed  to  indicate  that  a  strong  defense  would 
be  made. 

Disposition  of  American  Forces. 

The  Americans  were  in  splendid  shape  for  a  rousing  attack.  The 
Filipinos  had  retired  so  rapidly  before  the  advance  that  their  attempts 
to  tear  up  the  railway  track  and  burn  the  bridges  had  failed,  so  that 
the  railway  was  being  operated  to  the  American  firing  line  and  tele 
graphic  communication  with  Manila  was  perfect.  The  navy  was  pre 
pared  to  co-operate  also.  Admiral  Dewey  had  sent  the  Helena  with  her 
ten-foot  draft  and  her  fine  battery  of  quick-firing  guns  up  into  the  shal 
low  water  along  the  coast,  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  bombard  the 
city  from  the  nearest  point.  As  for  the  men  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle, 
they  were  fit  and  eager  to  begin. 

How  the  Troops  Were  Disposed. 

The  disposition  of  the  American  troops  was  as  follows:  General 
MacArthur's  division  was  thrown  across  the  railway  track,  the  3d 
artillery  being  on  the  extreme  left;  then  the  1st  Montana,  20th  Kansas, 
10th  Pennsylvania,  1st  South  Dakota  and  1st  Nebraska  came  in  the 
order  named,  the  last  being  on  the  extreme  right.  General  Wheaton's 
brigade,  composed  of  the  2d  Oregon,  22d  infantry,  13th  Minnesota  and 
1st  Colorado,  acted  as  support.  Two  guns  under  Lieutenant  Fleming, 
two  guns  under  Major  Young  of  the  Utah  battery  and  one  Colt  rapid- 
fire  gun  under  Lieutenant  Davis  of  the  navy,  served  by  jackies 
from  the  fleet,  were  posted  on  the  railroad  track  looking  toward  the 
station  at  Malolos.  A  strong  line  of  insurgent  trenches  was  visible  a 
mile  to  the  north  of  our  position,  stretching  across  the  railway  track. 

At  6:40  o'clock  General  MacArthur  ordered  the  artillery  to  begin. 
For  half  an  hour  the  guns  shelled  the  insurgent  trenches  and  threw 


CAMPAIGNING   IN   LUZON.  353 

shrapnel  into  Malolos  at  3,400  yards.  The  fire  was  promptly  returned 
by  the  Filipinos,  but  it  speedily  died  down  and  then  ceased  altogether. 

One  battalion  of  Nebraska  men  began  to  advance  on  the  right  across 
the  open  plain  and  the  example  was  followed  at  once  by  the  Pennsyl 
vania  and  South  Dakota  troops.  In  a  few  minutes  a  general  advance 
was  in  progress.  It  quickly  met  with  sharp  resistance  on  the  right. 

On  the  left  of  the  railway  track  the  Kansas  troops,  with  Colonel  Fun- 
ston  at  their  head,  and  with  the  Montana  men  and  the  3d  artillery  well 
up  with  them,  moved  forward  through  dense  thickets.  Here  no  fire 
came  from  the  insurgents. 

Kansans   Swarm  into  the   City. 

The  advance  continued  cautiously.  At  9  o'clock  Aguinaldo's  head 
quarters  were  observed  to  be  burning.  Colonel  Funston  and  his  men 
then  drew  forward  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  city.  Major  Young 
advanced  his  pieces  and  fired  two  shells  into  the  heart  of  Malolos  with 
out  obtaining  any  response. 

Then  Colonel  Funston  started  on  a  dead  run  for  the  insurgent  head 
quarters  with  a  small  detachment  cf  long-legged  Kansans  yelling  at  his 
heels.  Several  scattering  shots  met  them,  but  these  did  no  damage  and 
did  not  even  check  the  headlong  dash  of  Funston  and  his  men. 

The  American  troops  rushed  into  the  main  square  of  the  city.  There 
they  came  upon  a  scene  of  great  confusion.  Many  buildings  were  on 
fire  and  sending  up  great  columns  of  smoke.  Only  the  Chinese  inhabi 
tants  remained  and  they  were  in  a  state  of  extreme  terror. 

The  troops  soon  garrisoned  the  city  in  proper  style.  They  found  no 
insurgents  within  its  borders,  as  all  were  fleeing  to  the  north. 

Lawton  Captures   Santa  Cruz. 

An  army  of  1,500' men,  under  General  Henry  W.  Lawton,  left  Manila 
on  the  night  of  April  9  with  the  object  of  capturing  Santa  Cruz,  the 
Filipinos'  stronghold  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  lake.  The  expedition 
consisted  of  200  picked  sharpshooters,  chosen  from  various  regiments; 
Hawthorne's  mountain  battery,  Gale's  squadron,  three  troops  of  the 
4th  cavalry,  unmounted,  with  Bronko's  and  Tappan's  battalions  of  the 


354  CAMPAIGNING   IN   LUZON. 

14th  infantry,  Liuck's  battalion  of  the  1st  Idaho  infantry  and  Frame's 
battalion  of  the  1st  North  Dakota  infantry. 

The  flotilla  of  twenty  canoes,  towed  by  tugs  and  convoyed  by  the 
gunboats  Laguna  de  Bay,  Oeste  and  Rapidan,  and  preceded  by  the 
launch  containing  General  Lawton,  started  from  San  Pedro  Macati,  on 
the  River  Pasig,  moving  toward  the  lake  just  as  evening  was  setting  in. 
It  was  a  truly  picturesque  scene.  The  men  were  all  in  high  spirits  and 
carried  rations  for  ten  days,  with  the  lightest  marching  equipment. 

The  journey  was  a  short  one  over  the  bay  lagoon,  a  freshwater  sea 
which  comes  almost  up  to  Manila  itself.  Forty-eight  miles  across  the 
lake  is  Santa  Cruz,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Laguna,  with  a  popula 
tion  of  about  13,000. 

The  plans  of  the  American  commander  worked  perfectly,  with  the  ex 
ception  that  the  progress  of  the  expedition  was  delayed  by  the  difficult 
navigation  of  the  river,  making  it  nearly  dawn  by  the  time  the  lake  was 
reached. 

The  Expedition  then  steamed  cautiously  forward,  the  Rapidan  and 
the  Oeste  a  mile  ahead,  the  Laguna  de  Bay  guarding  the  rear.  Signal 
fires,  however,  were  lighted  on  the  mountain  tops,  giving  alarm  of  the 
approach  of  the  troops. 

It  was  noon  before  the  white  church  towers  of  the  city  appeared  in 
the  shadow  of  the  great  volcanic  mountain  on  a  marshy  plain  dotted 
with  occasional  palm  groves. 

A  casco,  with  a  force  of  200  sharpshooters,  under  Major  Woisen- 
berger,  was  run  into  a  shallow  inlet  about  five  miles  south  of  the  city, 
and  a  few  shells  were  sent  toward  the  intrenchments  of  the  rebels  at 
the  edge  of  the  woods,  sending  the  enemy  scampering  inland. 

Wade  Ashore   Under  Fire. 

Then  a  number  of  Americans  jumped  into  the  water,  and,  wading  for 
about  a  hundred  yards,  crept  forward  and  formed  in  line,  covering  the 
landing  of  the  remainder,  which  finished  about  5  o'clock.  The  three 
troops  of  the  Fourth  cavalry,  unmounted,  were  sent  ashore  on  a  danger 
ous  marshy  point,  directly  south  of  the  city,  under  fire  from  the  enemy's 
trenches. 

Meanwhile  in  the  town  itself  there  was  utter  silence  and  not  a  sign 
of  life.  General  Lawton,  desiring  to  make  an  inspection  and  to  give  the 


CAMPAIGNING   IN   LUZON.  355 

inhabitants  an  opportunity  to  surrender,  went  on  board  the  Laguua  de 
Bay,  and  steamed  slowly  to  the  dock,  the  whole  fleet  watching  anxiously. 
When  it  was  discovered  by  the  glasses  that  the  trenches  and  stone  build 
ings  were  swarming  with  white-clad  soldiers  the  boat  withdrew,  receiv 
ing  volleys  from  the  trenches  thrown  up  on  the  marshy  plain  north  of 
the  city. 

The  flotilla  anchored  in  compact  formation  for  the  night,  ready  to  re 
sist  any  surprises  from  the  gunboats  supposed  to  be  in  the  lake.  At 
sunrise  the  following  day  the  assault  commenced.  The  American 
line  south  of  the  city  stretched  two  miles  inland,  and  with  its  left  sweep 
ing  the  shore  it  moyed  north,  while  the  Fourth  cavalrymen  on  the  point 
advanced  toward  the  city,  pouring  volleys  upon  the  trenches.  Simul 
taneously  the  gunboats  hovered  along  the  shore,  shelling  the  woods 
ahead  of  the  troops  and  driving  the  Filipinos  inland.  The  Gatlings 
cleared  several  trenches. 

The  whole  brigade  was  divided  into  squads  of  twelve  and  the  fighting 
was  carried  on  in  the  old-time  frontier  fashion,  from  behind  trees,  crawl 
ing  through  bushes  or  rushing  across  the  open.  The  trenches  that  were 
not  cleared  by  the  gunboats  gave  considerable  resistance  when  the  line 
was  nearing  the  city,  and  the  Laguna  de  Bay  and  Oeste  bombarded  for 
an  hour  in  the  hope  of  making  them  too  wrarm  for  occupancy,  but  did  not 
succeed  in  clearing  them  entirely. 

General  Lawton,  with  the  Fourteenth  Infantry  Battalions,  ap 
proached  a  narrow  iron  bridge  across  a  creek  on  the  south  border  of  the 
town.  Here  a  company  of  Filipinos  was  intrenched  across  the  stream 
and  behind  a  stone  barricade  at  the  entrance  to  the  bridge.  The  Ameri 
cans  rushed  forward  in  single  file,  in  the  face  of  a  galling  fire,  demol 
ished  the  barricade  with  their  hands  and  drove  the  enemy  from  the 
trenches,  killing  a  dozen. 

The  Filipino  soldiers  in  the  town,  secreted  in  various  buildings  and 
firing  from  the  windows,  gave  the  invaders  an  interesting  hour.  There 
was  a  regular  nest  of  them  in  the  stone  jail,  which  is  hedged  in  by  a  wall. 
This  was  a  veritable  pepper  pot.  The  Americans,  singly  or  in  pairs,  en 
tered  the  houses,  and  many  warriors  were  taken  prisoners. 

A  considerable  body  of  Filipinos  fled  northward,  crossing  the  open 
marshes,  but  the  Gatlings  poured  upon  them  a  deadly  hail  until  they 
disappeared  in  the  woods,  slaying  dozens.  Major  Weisenberger  de 
ployed  the  sharpshooters  along  the  shore,  and  they  crept  steadily  for- 


356  CAMPAIGNING   IN   LUZON. 

ward,  aiding  the  Gatlings.     Finally  a  large  body  was  sent  against  the 
enemy,  driving  them  towrard  the  mountains. 

Lawton  Makes  Use  of  the  Palace. 

General  Lawton  established  headquarters  at  the  elegant  palace  of 
the  Governor,  and  a  guard  was  immediately  placed  in  the  church,  as 
the  sacred  edifices  are  always  the  first  objective  of  looters.  Within  an 
hour  the  town  was  patrolled  and  all  looting  rigidly  prevented.  Almost 
all  the  inhabitants  had  fled  during  the  two  preceding  nights  and  only  a 
few  Chinese  shopkeepers  emerged  from  hiding  and  resumed  business. 

On  the  marshes  north  of  towrn  were  found  forty  dead  Filipinos,  some 
terribly  torn  by  shells,  and  many  others  wounded,  to  whom  the  Ameri 
cans  offered  their  canteens,  as  though  they  wrere  comrades. 

The  enemy  lost  in  the  day's  fight  150  killed,  including  Paole  Aguirre, 
one  of  their  bravest  and  best  leaders,  and  twelve  other  officers  of  minor 
rank. 

General  Lawton's  flying  column  followed  up  the  taking  of  Santa 
Cruz  by  the  capture  of  Pagan  Jan.  The  Filipinos  at  that  place  offered 
practically  no  resistance.  The  American  forces  were  then  rushed  for 
ward  down  the  Lumbarg  Eiver  and  found  the  insurgents  assembled  in 
considerable  numbers  at  the  village  of  Lumbarg,  which  commands  the 
mouth  of  the  river.  Here  the  enemy  had  placed  obstructions  which  pre 
vented  the  passage  of  the  American  gunboats.  Shells  were  thrown  suc 
cessfully  from  the  Laguna  and  the  main  forces  of  the  insurgents  were 
driven  out.  Only  a  small  number  remained  to  oppose  the  entry  of  the 
Americans.  These  few  took  a  determined  stand  within  an  old  church 
and  valiantly  maintained  a  steady  firing  upon  the  Americans. 

Finally  some  of  our  men  were  rushed  forward  by  land,  and  there  was 
a  lively  skirmish,  in  which  several  Filipinos  were  killed  and  about  fifty 
taken  prisoners.  Lieutenant  Southern,  of  the  Washington  volunteers, 
was  wounded  in  the  arm,  but  that  was  the  only  casualty  suffered  by  the 
Americans.  Six  launches  and  two  cascoes  were  captured  from  the 
enemy.  General  Lawton,  after  leaving  a  strong  guard,  returned  with 
the  remainder  of  his  column  to  Santa  Cruz. 

The  Americans,  who  had  been  congratulating  themselves  that  the 
Filipinos  north  of  Manila  were  thoroughly  whipped,  had  their  hopes 
completely  dashed  by  an  offensive  outbreak  early  on  the  morning  of 


CAMPAIGNING  IN  LUZON.  357 

April  11.  The  enemy  made  a  carefully  planned  attack  on  MacArthur's 
men,  who  had  been  guarding  the  railroad  line  between  Malolos  and 
Manila.  Shortly  after  midnight  signal  rockets  were  displayed  along 
the  foothills  west  of  the  railroad.  The  attack  began  immediately. 
While  there  wras  fighting  all  along  the  railroad  line,  the  Filipinos  had 
massed  their  men  at  two  points — Bocave  and  Marilao. 

The  fighting  was  sharp  and  quick.  Five  American  soldiers  were 
killed  and  fourteen  wounded.  Before  the  Filipinos  were  repulsed  they 
succeeded  in  cutting  the  telegraph  wires  in  several  places  between 
Bocave  and  Marilao.  They  also  tore  up  part  of  the  railroad  track.  As 
day  broke  the  insurgents  retreated  to  the  foothills. 

In  the  Enemy's  Trap. 

On  April  12  Admiral  Dewey  sent  the  Yorktowrn  to  Baler,  on  the 
east  coast  of  Luzon,  for  the  purpose  of  rescuing  and  bringing  away  the 
Spanish  forces,  consisting  of  eighty  soldiers,  three  officers  and  two 
priests,  who  were  surrounded  by  400  Filipinos.  The  Yorktown,  on 
arriving  off  Baler,  sent  up  the  river  a  boat  containing  fifteen  men,  under 
command  of  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Gillmore. 

On  April  18  Admiral  Dewey  cabled  the  War  Department  at  Wash 
ington,  that  Lieutenant  Gillmore  and  his  crew  had  been  ambushed, 
fired  upon  and  captured,  and  that  their  fate  at  that  time  was  unknown. 
On  April  20  Correspondent  McCutcheon  cabled  as  follows: 

"I  interviewed  Admiral  Dewey  today  as  to  whether  he  intended  to 
send  an  expedition  to  Baler  to  punish  the  insurgents  for  the  killing  or 
capturing  of  Lieutenant  Gillmore  and  the  sailors  from  the  Yorktowrn. 

"The  Admiral's  answer  came  quickly  and  decisively.  'Of  course,' 
he  said.  Then  he  added  that  the  plans  for  the  expedition  to  Baler  still 
were  incomplete,  but  that  he  intended  to  send  an  expedition  there  which 
would  not  only  release  the  Spanish  garrison,  but  which  would  punish 
the  insurgents  thoroughly  for  the  treatment  they  had  accorded  Lieu 
tenant  Gillmore  and  the  men  of  the  Yorktown. 

"Admiral  Dewey  would  not  say  what  he  believed  had  been  the 
fate  of  Gillmore  and  the  sailors.  He  said  he  supposed  they  had  been 
either  killed  or  captured.  It  could  easily  be  seen  from  his  manner 
that  he  believes  the  American  sailors  are  dead.  It  is  probable  that 
the  punitive  expedition  will  start  within  a  few  days. 


358  CAMPAIGNING  IN  LTJ2ON. 

"During  the  interview  Admiral  Dewey  talked  of  the  expedition  to 
Baler,  which  is  on  the  east  coast  of  Luzon.  He  said  the  Yorktown 
was  dispatched  to  Baler  on  a  mission  of  mercy  to  rescue  forty  Spanish 
sailors  and  three  priests,  who  were  beleaguered  in  a  church.  On 
arriving  at  Baler  Lieutenants  Gillmore  and  Standley  took  fourteen 
sailors  in  a  steam  launch  to  make  soundings.  The  launch  was  armed 
with  a  machine  gun. 

"Lieutenant  Standley  landed  and  ascended  a  hill  to  reconnoiter, 
and  the  launch  disappeared  behind  a  bend  in  the  river,  continuing-  the 
soundings.  Presently  Standley  heard  a  volley  of  musketry.  Three 
more  volleys  followed,  and  then  loud  cheering.  He  did  not  hear  the 
machine  gun  fire  at  all.  He  tried  to  get  to  the  scene  of  the  fighting, 
but  could  not  locate  the  launch.  Over  the  brow  of  the  hill  he  could 
see  a  church  in  the  distance.  A  Spanish  flag  was  floating  over  it. 
Not  being  able  to  see  or  hear  more  of  the  Americans  in  the  launch,  he 
returned  to  the  Yorktown.  A  scouting  party  was  immediately  sent 
out  from  the  cruiser. 

"For  two  days  a  search  was  continued  for  the  missing  men.  Not 
a  trace  could  be  found  of  them.  Then  the  Yorktown  returned  to  Manila 
and  reported  their  disappearance. 

"Admiral  Dewey  is  unable  to  explain  the  fate  of  the  party.  He 
said  he  supposed  they  had  been  captured  or  killed  either  by  insurgents 
or  Spaniards.  He  could  not  say  which. 

"I  also  secured  an  interview  with  General  Kios,  who  was  ignorant 
of  the  fate  of  Lieutenant  Gillmore  and  his  companions.  He  was  greatly 
surprised  that  the  Americans  should  have  been  attacked.  General 
Rios  told  me  that  last  January  he  had  tried  to  notify  the  garrison  at 
Baler  that  the  Spanish-American  war  was  ended,  and  so  arranged 
with  Aguinaldo  to  send  a  lieutenant  in  the  Spanish  army  with  the 
message.  He  was  to  be  accompanied  by  Filipinos.  He  was  never 
heard  of  afterward.  General  Rios  said  he  supposed  that  the  garrison 
at  Baler  had  either  refused  to  accept  the  message  as  authentic,  sus 
pecting  treachery,  or  that  the  young  officer  had  been  killed  by  the 
Filipinos. 

General  Rios  Surprised. 

"He  was  greatly  surprised  at  Lieutenant  Stand!  ey's  story  of  seeing 
a  Spanish  flag  flying  over  the  church,  and  said  that  the  only  explanation 


CAMPAIGNING  IN  LUZON.  359 

fie  could  offer  was  that  the  garrison  still  believed  Spain  was  at  war 
with  America.  If  the  Spaniards  attacked  the  launch  he  said  it  was 
because  of  the  ignorance  of  the  treaty  of  peace  on  the  part  of  the 
Spaniards  and  because  they  were  not  aware  of  the  Yorktown's  mission. 
Still,  he  said  that  he  believed  the  launch  had  been  attacked  by  insur 
gents,  as  the  besieged  Spaniards  were  powerless  to  assume  the  offen 
sive.  He  was  unable  to  suggest  any  plan  by  which  the  Americans, 
if  they  be  prisoners,  and  the  Spanish  garrison  could  be  released.  He 
said  he  believed  that  a  cruiser  belonging  to  some  neutral  power  might 
be  able  to  do  so.  General  Rios  said  he  understood  that  there  were  400 
insurgents  at  Baler  and  that  they  had  absolute  control  of  the  river 
approaches. 

"In  regard  to  the  reported  arrangements  for  the  exchange  of  the 
Spanish  prisoners  General  Rios  said  efforts  were  still  being  made  to 
effect  their  release.  He  showed  me  a  letter  that  he  had  prepared,  in 
which  he  made  an  appeal  to  Aguinaldo's  sense  of  justice.  He  also 
pointed  out  to  the  insurgent  leader  that  the  release  of  the  Spaniards 
would  establish  a  bond  of  sympathy  between  the  Filipinos  and  the 
Spaniards  which  might  prove  very  advantageous  to  the  insurgents  in 
the  future.  He  said  he  would  endeavor  to  get  this  letter  to  Aguinaldo 
tomorrow. 

"General  Rios  claims  to  be  of  the  opinion  that  the  Filipinos  are  not 
seeking  money  by  holding  back  the  Spanish  prisoners.  He  claims 
Aguinaldo  and  his  followers  do  not  want  money.  All  they  are  fighting 
for,  Rios  says,  is  independence.  He  said  he  thought  they  were  holding 
back  the  prisoners  in  the  hope  that  their  retention  in  some  way  might 
help  the  insurgent  cause." 

Slain  by  Filipinos. 

Five  Americans  were  killed  and  several  seriously  wounded  during 
an  engagement  which  took  place  on  April  12  between  General  Lawton's 
troops  and  the  Filipinos  at  Paete,  a  town  about  twelve  miles  north 
of  Santa  Cruz. 

The  advance  guard  of  General  Lawton's  expedition  had  taken  two 
towns  on  the  shore  of  the  lake  north  of  Santa  Cruz.  The  guard  came 
upon  the  enemy  suddenly  at  Paete,  where  the  Filipinos  had  strong 
intrenchments  across  the  roadway.  The  North  Dakota  volunteers, 


360  CAMPAIGNING  IN  LUZON. 

while  avoiding  this  fire,  received  a,  cross-fire  from  another  band  of  in 
surgents  who  had  intrenched  themselves  on  a  steep  hill.  Our  troops 
were  divided  into  squads  of  five  men  and  sent  up  the  hill  to  take  these 
trenches.  They  encountered  a  deadly  fire.  In  one  squad  only  one  man 
escaped  without  wounds.  Finally  the  artillery  and  the  guns  of  the 
tinclads  were  brought  to  bear  on  the  stronghold  of  the  insurgents,  and 
after  one  hour's  shelling  the  Filipinos  were  driven  back. 

General  Lawton  continued  his  march  northward  along  the  road  be 
tween  the  hills  and  the  lake,  with  the  gunboats  Rapidan  and  Laguna  de 
Bay  abreast  of  his  army.  The  troops  crossed  the  Paghanjan  and  con 
centrated  at  Lambun,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river.  After  leaving  two 
companies  of  the  Fourteenth  Regiment  to  guard  the  entrance  of  the 
river  the  troops  marched  to  Longas  and  found  it  deserted.  Furniture 
which  had  been  dropped  in  the  flight  of  the  natives  was  scattered  along 
the  trails  leading  into  the  hills. 

The  Americans  entered  San  Antonio  at  sunset  without  meeting  with 
any  resistance.  Twenty  unarmed  prisoners,  bearing  copies  of  the 
proclamation  of  the  United  States  Philippine  commission,  which  they 
had  somehow  secured,  were  afterward  released  and  sent  outside  our 
lines  writh  bundles  of  proclamations  to  distribute. 

Evacuation  of  Santa  Cruz. 

On  April  16  General  Otis  ordered  General  Lawton  to  return  to 
Manila  with  his  entire  command,  thus  completely  evacuating  Santa 
Cruz,  and  the  other  villages  taken  by  the  expedition.  General  Lawton 
obeyed  orders,  but  he  entered  a  protest  against  the  action,  as  he  felt 
the  necessity  of  an  American  garrison  in  the  towns  he  had  captured, 
and  especially  in  Santa  Cruz.  The  latter  place  he  regarded  as  most 
important,  as  it  commanded  the  entire  Laguna  de  Bay  district,  and 
with  the  Americans  in  control  they  would  be  in  a  position  easily 
and  effectually  to  intercept  any  communication  between  the  Filipinos  of 
the  northern  and  southern  portions  of  the  island. 

General  Otis  defended  his  order  for  the  evacuation  of  the  captured 
villages  by  declaring  that  he  considered  it  impracticable  to  spare  a 
sufficient  number  of  troops  for  garrison  purposes.  His  plan  of  cam 
paign  contemplated  a  continuation  of  the  fighting  in  the  northern  por 
tion  of  the  island,  and  in  his  opinion  every  man  of  the  available  force 


GENERAL  LOYD  WHEATON 


GENERAL  FRANCIS  V.  GREENE 


CAMPAIGNING  IN  LUZON.  363 

was  needed  in  that  locality.  Besides,  General  Otis  argued,  Santa  Cruz 
and  the  other  cities  could  be  retaken  if  necessary  during  the  rainy 
season,  with  much  less  difficulty  than  General  Lawton  had  encountered, 
for  the  reason  that  the  Avater  in  Laguna  de  Bay  would  be  deeper,  making 
the  transportation  of  troops  in  boats  a  much  easier  problem. 

There  can  be  no  question  regarding  the  moral  effect  of  the  evacua 
tion  on  the  Filipinos.  They  construed  it  as  a  confession  of  weakness 
on  the  part  of  the  Americans,  an  acknowledgment  that  they  were  not 
able  to  hold  the  positions  taken.  In  consequence  there  was  a  great 
revival  of  confidence  among  the  insurgents- 


CHAPTER  XXL 
TH*E    PEACE    COMMISSION   MEETS    HOSTILITY. 

The  Personnel  of  the  Commission — Proclamation  to  the  Filipinos — Assurances 
of  Good  Will — The  Supremacy  tof  the  United  States  to  Be  Enforced — 
Honest  Civil  Service  Promised — Industrial  Pursuits  to  Be  Encouraged 
— The  Public  School  System — Opinions  of  Leading  Filipinos — No  Ces 
sation  of  Warfare. 

It  is  necessary  now  to  turn  to  the  work  of  the  commission  that  was 
appointed  by  President  McKinley  for  the  purpose  of  inquiring  into  the 
situation  as  it  existed  in  the  Philippines  and  advising  what  course  our 
government  should  pursue  in  dealing  with  the  people  of  those  islands. 

The  arrival  at  Manila  of  Professors  Schurman  and  Worcester  from 
the  United  States  has  been  mentioned  in  an  earlier  chapter,  and  they, 
together  with  Colonel  Charles  Denby,  who  was  formerly  our  minister  to 
China,  Admiral  Dewey  and  Major-General  Otis  composed  what  was 
known  as  the  United  States  Philippine  commission. 

Their  first  formal  meeting  was  held  in  Manila  on  March  20,  and  an 
organization  was  perfected.  Professor  Schurman  was  chosen  president 
and  Mr.  T.  R.  McArthur  was  appointed  secretary.  It  was  decided  to 
issue  a  proclamation  to  the  Filipinos  informing  them  of  the  purposes 
of  the  commission,  and  President  Schurman  was  delegated  to  prepare 
the  document. 

Commission's  Proclamation  to  the  Filipinos. 

The  preamble  of  this  proclamation,  which  was  issued  on  April  4, 
recited  the  cession  by  the  peace  treaty  of  the  Philippine  islands  to  the 
United  States,  referred  to  the  appointment  of  the  commission,  assured 
the  people  of  the  cordial  good-will  and  fraternal  feeling  of  the  president 
of  the  United  States  and  the  American  people  and  asserted  that  the 
object  of  the  United  States  government,  apart  from  the  fulfillment 
of  its  solemn  obligations  to  the  family  of  nations  by  the  acceptance  of 

364 


THE   PEACE   COMMISSION  MEETS   HOSTILITY.  365 

sovereignty  over  the  islands,  was  the  well-being,  prosperity  and  happi 
ness  of  the  Philippine  people  and  their  elevation  and  advancement  to 
a  position  among  the  most  civilized  populations  of  the  world.  Continu 
ing,  the  proclamation  said: 

"The  president  believes  this  felicity  and  perfection  of  the  Philippine 
people  will  be  brought  about  by  the  cultivation  of  letters,  science  and 
the  liberal  and  practical  arts,  by  the  enlargement  of  intercourse  with 
foreign  nations,  the  expansion  of  industrial  pursuits,  by  trade  and  com 
merce,  by  the  multiplication  and  improvement  of  means  of  internal 
communication  and  by  the  development  of  the  great  natural  resources 
of  the  archipelago. 

"Unfortunately  these  pure  aims  and  purposes  of  the  American  gov 
ernment  and  people  have  been  misinterpreted  to  some  of  the  inhabitants 
of  certain  islands,  and  in  consequence  the  friendly  American  forces, 
without  provocation  or  cause,  have  been  openly  attacked.  Why  these 
hostilities?  What  do  the  best  Filipinos  desire?  Can  it  be  more  than 
the  United  States  is  ready  to  give?  They  say  they  are  patriots  and 
want  liberty." 

The  commission  emphatically  asserted  that  it  was  willing  and 
anxious  to  establish  an  enlightened  system  of  government,  under  which 
the  people  might  enjoy  the  largest  measure  of  home  rule  and  the  am 
plest  liberty  consonant  with  the  supreme  purpose  of  the  United  States. 

The  proclamation  then  said  there  could  be  no  real  conflict  between 
American  sovereignty  and  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  Filipinos,  for 
America  was  ready  to  furnish  armies  and  navies  and  all  the  infinite 
resources  of  a  great  and  powerful  nation  to  maintain  its  rightful  su 
premacy  over  the  islands;  so  it  was  even  more  solicitous  to  spread  peace 
and  happiness  among  the  people  and  guarantee  them  rightful  freedom, 
to  protect  their  just  privileges  and  immunities,  to  accustom  them  to 
free  self-government  in  ever-increasing  measure  and  to  encourage  those 
democratic  aspirations,  sentiments  and  ideals  which  are  the  promise  and 
potency  of  fruitful  national  development. 

In  conclusion  the  proclamation  announced  that  the  commission 
would  visit  the  Philippine  provinces  to  ascertain  the  enlightened  native 
opinion  as  to  the  forms  of  government  adapted  to  the  people  conform 
able  with  their  traditions  and  ideals.  It  invited  the  leading,  representa 
tive  men  to  meet  the  commission  and  declared  the  policy  of  the  United 


366  THE   PEACE   COMMISSION   MEETS   HOSTILITY. 

States  in  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  the  government  was  to 
consult  the  wishes  and  secure  the  advice  and  co-operation  of  the  peopte. 

Intentions   of  the   United   States. 

The  proclamation  contained  eleven  articles,  declaring  America's  in 
tentions  as  follows: 

"1.  The  supremacy  of  the  United  States  must  and  will  be  enforced 
throughout  every  part  of  the  archipelago.  Those  who  resist  can  accom 
plish  nothing  except  their  own  ruin. 

"2.  The  amplest  liberty  of  self-government  will  be  granted  which 
is  reconcilable  with  just,  stable,  effective  and  economical  administration 
and  compatible  with  the  sovereign  rights  and  obligations  of  the  United 
States. 

"3.  The  civil  rights  of  the  Filipinos  will  be  guaranteed  and  pro 
tected,  their  religious  freedom  will  be  assured,  and  all  will  have  equal 
standing  before  the  law. 

"4.  Honor,  justice  and  friendship  forbid  the  exploitation  of  the 
people  of  the  islands.  The  purpose  of  the  American  government  is  the 
welfare  and  advancement  of  the  Philippine  people. 

"5.  The  United  States  government  guarantees  an  honest  and  effect 
ive  civil  service,  in  which  to  the  fullest  extent  practicable  natives  shall 
be  employed. 

"6.  The  collection  and  application  of  taxes  and  other  revenues  will 
be  put  upon  a  sound,  honest  and  economical  basis.  The  public  funds, 
raised  justly  and  collected  honestly,  will  be  applied  only  to  defraying 
the  proper  expenses  of  the  establishment  and  the  maintenance  of  the 
Philippine  government  and  such  general  improvements  as  public  in 
terests  demand.  Local  funds  collected  for  local  purposes  shall  not  bo 
diverted  to  other  ends.  With  such  prudent  and  honest  fiscal  adminis 
tration  it  is  believed  the  needs  of  the  government  will  in  a  short  time 
become  compatible  with  a  considerable  reduction  in  taxation. 

"7.  The  establishment  of  a  pure,  speedy  and  effective  administration 
of  justice,  by  which  the  evils  of  delay,  corruption  and  exploitation  will 
be  effectively  eradicated. 

"8.  The  construction  of  roads,  railroads  and  other  means  of  com 
munication  and  transportation  and  other  public  works  of  manifest 
advantage  to  the  people  will  be  promoted. 


THE    PEACE   COMMISSION   MEETS   HOSTILITY.  307 

"9.  Domestic  and  foreign  trade  and  commerce  and  other  industrial 
pursuits  and  the  general  development  of  the  country  in  the  interest 
of  its  inhabitants  will  be  the  constant  objects  of  solicitude  and  foster 
ing  care. 

"10.  Effective  provision  will  be  made  for  the  establishment  of  ele 
mentary  schools,  in  which  the  children  of  the  people  will  be  educated. 
Appropriate  facilities  will  also  be  provided  for  higher  education. 

"11.  Reforms  in  all  departments  of  government,  all  branches  of  the 
public  service  and  all  corporations  closely  touching  the  common  life 
of  the  people  must  be  undertaken  without  delay  and  effected  conforma 
bly  with  common  right  and  justice,  in  a  way  to  satisfy  the  well-founded 
demands  and  the  highest  sentiments  and  aspirations  of  the  Philippine 
people." 

Another  Manifesto  from  Horg  Kong. 

The  Filipino  junta  in  Hong  Kong  regarded  the  proclamation  of  the 
United  States  Philippine  commission  as  objectionable  and  issued  a 
statement  saying:  "It  is  a  tissue  of  generalities,  bristles  with  pharisa- 
ism  and  cant,  vaguely  promises  much  and  grants  nothing  to  the  Fili 
pinos,  who  are  tired  of  promises  and  surfeited  by  Spanish  promises  simi 
lar  to  the  American." 

Continuing,  the  statement  read: 

"The  proclamation  proves  that  the  fair  promises  of  independence 
under  a  protectorate  and  President  McKinley's  declaration  of  the  ob 
jects  of  the  Spanish  war  were  only  a  mask  of  humanitarianism  to  cover 
the  real  intention.  The  invitation  of  the  United  States  Philippine  com 
missioners  to  the  Filipinos  to  meet  them  for  an  exchange  of  views  is 
meaningless,  as  during  the  hostilities  the  representative  Filipinos  are 
necessarily  absent  from  Manila,  assisting  the  struggle  for  independence. 
The  Filipinos  continue  to  resist  violent  and  aggressive  usurpation,  not 
because  they  expect  a  complete  victory,  but  to  emphasize  their  rights 
and  to  protest  against  a  ruthless  invasion.  We  emphatically  deny  that 
the  aims  of  the  American  government  have  been  misinterpreted.  The 
proclamation  of  General  Otis  showed  those  aims  clearly.  We  also  deny 
the  legality  of  the  sale  of  sovereignty  over  the  Philippines  by  Spain, 
and  we  reiterate  positively  that  the  Americans  began  the  hostilities 
on  February  4. 


368  THE   PEACE   COMMISSION   MEETS   HOSTILITY. 


A  Proclamation  of  Conquest. 

"The  proclamation  of  President  McKinley's  commission  to  the  sub 
jugated  inhabitants  of  the  Philippines  was  a  proclamation  of  conquest. 
As  such  it  grated  upon  the  sensitive  ears  of  those  American  citizens 
who  still  regard  as  eternal  and  of  universal  application  the  foundation 
principles  upon  which  their  own  institutions  are  based.  The  document 
professed  kind  intentions,  to  be  sure,  and  contained  promises  of  liberal 
treatment  to  such  as  recognize  and  bow  to  the  supreme  and  sovereign 
authority  of  the  American  republic.  But  the  spirit  of  kindness  which 
the  proclamation  breathed  is  the  kindness  which  the  conqueror  has  ever 
promised  to  his  not  too  willing  subjects.  The  proclamation  recognized 
no  rights  of  the  Filipinos,  nor  did  it  deem  the  consent  of  the  governed 
a  matter  of  any  importance.  The  conquered  were  simply  promised  kind 
treatment  and  beneficent  government  as  a  condition  of  submission  to 
an  outside  authority.  What  conqueror  ever  promised  less?  And  where 
is  it  written  in  American  institutions  that  the  rule  of  a  conqueror  con 
trary  to  the  willing  consent  of  the  ruled  is  not  tyranny  simply  because 
beneficent? 

"Consider  these  two  'regulative  principles'  for  the  guidance  of  the 
United  States  in  its  relations  with  the  Philippines,  laid  down  by  the 
commission  as  principles  of  'cardinal  importance': 

"  '1.  The  supremacy  of  the  United  States  must  and  will  be  enforced 
throughout  every  part  of  the  archipelago,  and  those  who  resist  it  can 
accomplish  no  end  other  than  their  own  ruin. 

"  '2.  To  the  Philippine  people  will  be  granted  the  most  ample  liberty 
and  self-government  reconcilable  with  the  maintenance  of  a  wise,  just, 
stable,  effective  and  economical  administration  of  public  affairs  and 
compatible  with  the  sovereign  and  international  rights  and  the  obliga 
tions  of  the  United  States.' 

"If  the  Filipinos  submit  to  American  rule  and  recognize  'our'  sover 
eign  rights  they  will  be  well  treated.  If  not,  they  but  accomplish  their 
'own  ruin.'  Truly  a  sentiment  worthy  of  a  Napoleon !" 

Filipinos  Move  for  Peace. 

As  soon  as  the  proclamation  was  made  public  a  number  of  the 
leading  Filipinos  held  a  conference  to  discuss  what  action  if  any  they 


THE   PEACE   COMMISSION   MEETS   HOSTILITY.  369 

should  take  regarding  it.  Mr.  McCutclieon  interviewed  Benito  Legarda 
as  to  the  sentiment  of  this  meeting  and  reported  as  follows: 

"Legarda  said  that  twenty-two  of  the  most  influential  men  among  the 
Filipinos  met  and  discussed  the  various  methods  by  which  the  pacifi 
cation  of  the  island  of  Luzon  might  be  brought  about.  The  probable 
effect  of  the  various  means  considered  was  debated  at  length. 

"A  committee  was  appointed  to  confer  with  the  Philippine  commis 
sion  sent  here  by  President  McKinley,  the  one  that  recently  issued  the 
proclamation  in  the  island. 

Propositions  of  the  Committee. 

"The  Filipino  committee  was  intrusted  to  submit  three  proposals  to 
the  American  commissioners.  The  first  proposition  is  to  the  effect  that 
the  Americans  make  all  concessions  that  are  possible  to  the  Filipinos 
and  inaugurate  a  policy  wrhich  will  approach  absolute  autonomy  as 
nearly  as  possible. 

"The  second  proposition  to  be  made  is  that  a  delegation  of  Filipinos 
be  sent  to  visit  Aguinaldo  after  the  Filipino  and  American  commis 
sions  have  met  and  endeavor  to  effect  a  friendly  understanding  between 
him  and  the  Americans.  This  delegation  is  to  explain  to  the  insurgent 
chief  the  concessions  which  the  Americans  will  be  willing  to  make  and 
the  policy  which  will  be  followed  in  the  future. 

"The  third  proposal  will  be  to  the  effect  that  the  American  commis 
sion  assure  the  Filipino  committee  that  all  government  positions  which 
are  not  held  by  Americans  will  be  given  to  Filipinos  and  that  represen 
tatives  of  no  other  race  be  given  any  official  positions. 

"I  also  interviewed  Arevalo,  who  was  formerly  Aguinaldo's  aid,  re 
garding  the  effect  the  proclamation  issued  by  the  American  commission 
was  having  on  the  natives.  He  said  he  believed  the  issuance  of  the 
proclamation  had  been  without  effect.  He  said  he  did  not  think  the 
proclamation  was  reaching  the  right  class  of  people.  It  is  Arevalo's 
opinion  that  if  the  Americans  sincerely  desire  the  pacification  of  the 
island  they  should  go  under  a  flag  of  truce  and  confer  with  the  Filipinos. 
In  this  way  each  side  would  be  able  to  convince  the  other  that  good 
faith  would  govern  their  actions.  He  said  it  was  highly  improbable 
that  the  Filipinos  would  take  the  initiative,  because  they  were  con 
vinced  that  they  could  not  hold  their  own  against  the  Americans,  and 


370  THE    PEACE    COMMISSION   MEETS   HOSTILITY. 

believe  that  if  they  made  the  first  move  toward  peace  the  Americans 
immediately  would  refuse  to  make  such  liberal  concessions  as  they 
would  in  case  the  Filipinos  appeared  anxious  to  continue  the  fight. 

"Arevalo  said  that  Aguinaldo  at  present  was  at  San  Miguel,  about 
thirty-five  miles  north  of  Manila,  He  also  claimed  that  General  Luna 
had  made  his  way  back  to  Bulacan. 

Aguinaldo  Probably  Assented. 

"A  great  deal  of  importance  is  placed  upon  the  meeting  of  the  Fili 
pinos.  Legarda  is  one  of  Aguinaldo's  most  trusted  lieutenants.  He 
has  served  as  secretary  to  the  insurgent  leader.  He  is  said  to  have  a 
great  talent  for  diplomacy.  The  fact  that  he  attended  and  took  a  lead 
ing  part  in  the  meeting  of  the  Filipinos  has  led  to  the  impression  here 
that  Aguinaldo  assented  to,  if  he  did  not  actually  instigate,  the 
meeting." 

In  the  important  dispatch  from  Mr.  McCutcheon  there  seemed  a  clear 
indication  that  the  Filipino  leader,  Aguinaldo,  was  trying  to  make  the 
best  terms  he  could  with  our  government.  The  mere  announcement  that 
"twenty-two  of  the  most  influential  men"  in  the  island  had  met  to 
discuss  the  terms  of  a  proposed  negotiation  with  the  American  com 
missioners  might  not  by  itself  mean  anything,  owing  to  the  absence  of 
names  by  which  we  might  identify  these  would-be  negotiators.  They 
might  or  might  not  be  persons  capable  of  having  any  considerable 
amount  of  influence  with  their  fellow-countrymen,  and  unless  they  were 
in  such  a  position  as  would  enable  them  to  draw  after  them  a  very 
large  following  it  would  be  worse  than  useless  for  our  commissioners 
to  pay  the  least  heed  to  them.  But  the  presence  of  Legarda  gave  great 
importance  to  this  news. 

All  persons  who  have  lived  in  the  east  and  who  have  had  oppor 
tunities  to  form  a  correct  estimate  of  the  Malay  character,  know  that 
a  Filipino  can  be  effectually  reached  by  only  one  argument — namely,  the 
inevitable.  To  dire  necessity  he  submits  so  readily  and  ungrudgingly 
that  a  careless  observer  might  be  led  to  think  that  he  was  more  than 
usually  docile  and  easily  governed.  As  long  as  life  is  not  made  un 
bearably  hard  for  him  he  will  not  rebel,  even  though  he  is  convinced 
that  he  is  being  unjustly  treated.  But,  if  he  discovers  not  only  that 
he  is  oppressed,  but  that  his  oppressors  are  not  strong  enough  to  hold 


THE   PEACE   COMMISSION   MEETS   HOSTILITY.  371 

him  down,  he  will  then  rebel  and  fight  fiercely,  as  he  did  against  the 
Spaniards  in  1896.  As  in  that  insurrection  also,  when  he  finds  that  he 
has  undertaken  an  impossible  task,  he  straightway  begins  to  make 
overtures  toward  being  "pacified,"  as  he  calls  it. 

Now  this  was  exactly  what  Aguinaldo  was  trying  to  do  in  these 
negotiations.  I  say  that  it  was  Aguinaldo  at  the  bottom  of  the  move 
ment,  because  it  bore  the  earmarks  of  his  actions.  If  it  should  appear 
that  Aguinaldo  personally  had  no  connection  with  the  meetings  re 
ferred  to,  his  lack  of  participation  in  the  affair  wTould  not  necessarily 
detract  from  its  importance.  It  would  merely  indicate  that  Aguinaldo 
had  lost  his  power  over  the  most  influential  among  the  native  leaders. 
I  strongly  believe,  however,  that  young  Legarda — he  is  only  23  years 
old — was  the  actual  emissary  and  accredited  instrument  of  Aguinaldo 
himself;  and  if  this  surmise  should  prove  to  be  correct,  it  is  my  belief 
at  this  writing  that  it  will  not  be  long  before  Aguinaldo  will  .appear 
openly  in  the  negotiations  with  our  commissioners — always  provided, 
of  course,  that  the  latter  show  a  reasonable  combination  of  tact,  firm 
ness  and  justice. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 
CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAR. 

Brave  Americans  Fall  in  Battle — The  Death  of  Colonel  Stotzenberg — 
Calumpit  Taken — Brilliant  Work  of  the  Kansas  Regiment — How 
Colonel  Funston  Swar.  the  River — Representatives  of  Aguinaldo 
Ask  a  Truce — General  Otis'  Ultimatum — A  Local  Filipino  Govern 
ment  Receives  American  Sanction — Natives  Return  to  Their  Homes. 

On  April  20  a  force  of  about  two  hundred  insurgents  attacked  the 
outposts  of  the  Washington  regiment,  near  Taguig,  south  of  Pasig  and 
Pateros.  Two  companies  immediately  engaged  the  enemy  and  ad 
vanced  into  the  open  in  skirmish  order.  The  natives  were  checked  and 
routed  after  two  hours'  fighting,  leaving  twelve  men  killed  on  the  field 
and  several  wounded.  The  American  troops  also  obtained  possession 
of  many  Mauser  rifles  and  many  other  weapons.  Three  Americans  were 
wounded. 

At  6  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  April  21  three  companies  of  the 
South  Dakota  regiment  marched  from  Bocave  and  in  con  junction  witli 
three  companies  of  the  Minnesota  regiment,  from  Guiguinto,  north  of 
Bocave,  encountered  an  insurgent  force  numbering  fully  five  hundred 
men  when  two  miles  out.  The  enemy  retired  three  miles  in  fairly  good 
order,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  Filipinos  suffered  heavy  losses.  The 
Americans,  having  exhausted  their  ammunition,  were  compelled  to  re 
turn  to  their  camps. 

General  Lawton  took  the  field  at  daybreak  April  22  with  a  column 
of  troops  consisting  of  the  North  Dakota  regiment,  two  battalions  of 
the  Third  infantry,  the  Twenty-second  infantry,  two  guns  of  Scott's 
battery,  three  troops  of  the  Fourth  cavalry,  and  Gale's  squadron, 
equipped  in  light  marching  order.  This  force  started  at  5  o'clock  this 
morning  over  the  Novaliches  road,  traversing  the  country  previously 
cleared  of  insurgents,  but  subsequently  reoccupied  by  them. 

The  Dakota  regiment  first  encountered  the  enemy  in  front  of 
Novaliches,  at  8:15  a.  m.  The  natives  opened  fire  on  our  troops,  but 
their  fire  was  silenced  fifteen  minutes  later,  the  enemy  retiring  in  bad 

3751 


CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAK.  373 

order,  and  the  Americans  advancing  along  the  rough  roads  around 
Novaliches.  They  were  considerably  annoyed  by  the  fire  of  the  native 
sharpshooters  from  the  jungle  for  tAvo  hours. 

At  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  insurgents  were  in  full  flight, 
leaving  many  dead  on  the  field,  and  our  troops  were  compelled  to  take 
a  brief  rest  in  the  shade,  as  the  heat  was  overpowering. 

Brave  Americans  Killed. 

One  of  the  most  furious  battles  of  the  war  was  fought  on  April  23, 
and  for  the  first  time  the  insurgents  forced  the  American  troops  to 
retreat.  Colonel  J.  M.  Stotzenberg  and  Lieutenant  Sisson,  two  brave 
officers  of  the  First  Nebraska  volunteers,  were  pierced  through  the 
heart  by  insurgent  bullets  in  the  terrific  engagement.  Six  other  Amer 
ican  soldiers  were  killed,  while  forty-three  were  wounded  before  the 
insurgents  were  driven  back.  The  scene  of  the  battle  was  Quingua, 
five  miles  northeast  of  Malolos. 

Major  Bell  of  the  Fourth  United  States  cavalry  was  ordered  to  make 
a  reconnaissance  in  order  to  develop  the  strength  of  the  enemy  near 
Quingua.  He  took  Lieutenant  Eutherford  and  sixty-one  men  of  the 
Fourth  cavalry.  At  daybreak  this  little  body  of  Americans  reached 
the  Filipino  position.  Major  Bell  and  Lieutenant  Rutherford,  with  five 
men,  wrent  ahead  of  the  rest  of  the  reconnoitering  party.  The  insurg 
ents  saw  them,  but  withheld  their  fire,  evidently  expecting  that  the 
remainder  of  the  company  would  soon  come  within  range. 

Major  Bell's  orders  from  General  MacArthur  explicitly  instructed 
him  to  ascertain  the  strength  of  the  enemy.  The  remainder  of  the 
cavalry  was  advanced.  As  soon  as  the  little  command  came  within 
range  the  insurgents  opened  with  a  hot  fire.  One  American  soldier 
was  killed  and  five  wounded  by  the  first  volley. 

Major  Bell  immediately  sent  for  reinforcements.  The  cavalry  held 
its  ground  bravely.  The  insurgents  fought  like  demons.  The  Filipinos 
sent  canoeloads  of  soldiers  down  the  river.  These  landed  on  both  the 
right  and  left  sides  of  the  American  soldiers,  surrounding  them  on 
three  sides.  They  were  forced  back,  but  they  fought  hard  for  every 
inch  of  ground  which  they  gave  to  the  enemy. 

The  Filipinos  followed  up  their  advantage.  They  had  driven  Major 
Bell  and  his  men  nearly  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  Quingua  when 
Major  Morford,  with  a  battalion  of  the  First  Nebraska  volunteers,  has- 


374 

tened  up  to  the  assistance  of  the  retreating  cavalrymen.  Instead  of 
the  new  troops  changing  the  tide  of  battle  and  causing  the  Filipinos  to 
retreat,  the  insurgents  held  their  ground  and  fought  the  more  savagely. 
Next  two  companies  of  the  Iowa  regiment  advanced  to  the  lighting 
line,  but  later  they  were  withdrawn,  being  on  guard  duty.  The  rest 
of  the  Nebraska  regiment  next  came  up.  General  Hale  arrived  shortly 
afterward  with  the  rest  of  the  lowans.  The  Americans  were  ordered 
forward  to  take  the  positions  which  the  insurgents  wrere  holding. 

Killed  Leading  His  Regiment. 

Just  as  the  forward  movement  began,  Colonel  Stotzenberg  came 
dashing  up  and  took  his  place  at  the  head  of  his  regiment.  He  had 
just  returned  to  Malolos  from  Manila,  wrhere  he  had  been  visiting  his 
wife.  He  heard  of  the  battle,  rushed  to  Quingua  and  reached  his  men 
in  time  to  lead  them  in  the  storming  of  the  insurgent  trenches.  During 
this  charge  in  the  withering  hail  of  bullets,  Colonel  Stotzenberg  was 
shot.  He  dropped  dead  within  a  few  yards  of  the  trenches. 

Three  guns  from  the  Utah  artillery  reached  the  fighting  ground 
just  as  the  Nebraskans  were  making  their  charge.  Their  advance, 
assisted  by  the  shells  from  the  artillery,  broke  the  resistance  of  the 
insurgents,  and  after  half  an  hour  more  of  fighting  they  were  driven 
from  Quingua. 

Of  the  members  of  the  Seventh  cavalry  which  came  up  with  General 
Hale,  three  were  killed  and  five  wounded.  Several  members  of  the 
Iowa  troops  were  wounded.  The  total  American  loss  wTas  eight  killed 
and  forty-three  wounded.  Fifteen  dead  Filipinos  were  found  in  the 
trenches,  but  their  loss  wTas  comparatively  small,  as  they  were  pro 
tected  during  most  of  the  battle. 

Major  Bell's  horse  was  shot  from  beneath  him.  The  bullet  passed 
through  Major  Bell's  legging.  Major  Mallory's  horse  also  was  killed. 

The  members  of  the  Nebraska  regiment  are  overwhelmed  with  grief 
over  the  loss  of  their  colonel.  Colonel  Stotzenberg  was  noted  as  an 
absolutely  fearless  officer,  and  his  regiment  considered  his  loss  irre 
parable.  General  Hale's  brigade  continued  to  advance  the  following 
morning.  It  consisted  of  the  First  Nebraska,  First  South  Dakota  and 
Fifty-first  Iowa  regiments.  They  marched,  swam  and  waded  their  way 
across  the  Bagbag  river,  encountering  the  insurgents  at  the  river  ford. 
A  sharp  fight  followed,  in  which  nearly  fifty  Filipinos  were  killed.  One 


CONTINUATION   OF   THE   WAR.  375 

American,  a  member  of  the  hospital  corps,  fell  during  the  engagement. 
Finally  the  insurgents  retreated  toward  Calumpit,  while  General  Hale's 
men  followed,  driving  them  from  one  position  after  another. 

In  the  meantime  General  MacArthur  was  at  Malolos  with  Wheat- 
on's  brigade  ready  to  march  at  a  moment's  notice  toward  Aguinaldo. 
General  Hale's  fight,  however,  delayed  the  advance  down  the  river  to 
ward  Calumpit,  which  is  seven  miles  northwest  of  Malolos.  General 
MacArthur  was  therefore  not  able  to  keep  up  with  General  Hale,  who 
was  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  Calumpit  early  in  the  afternoon. 
When  General  MacArthur  heard  of  the  manner  in  which  General  Hale 
had  progressed,  he  was  greatly  pleased.  He  said  the  flank  movement 
which  General  Hale  had  made  had  had  the  effect  of  surprising  and 
absolutely  demoralizing  the  insurgents. 

The  Taking  of  Calumpit. 

After  a  series  of  brilliant  and  daring  forward  movements,  the  Amer 
icans  took  and  occupied  Calumpit  on  April  26.  The  Filipinos  set  fire 
to  the  town  before  they  left,  and  the  Americans  found  the  houses  burn 
ing  when  they  dashed  up  the  village  streets  after  the  insurgents. 

The  insurgents  continued  their  policy  of  retiring  from  one  position 
after  another  after  inflicting  the  greatest  possible  damage  upon  the 
advancing  army.  Their  forces  were  well  drilled,  and  every  foot  of  the 
ground  was  tenaciously  disputed  by  thoroughly  organized  troops,  who 
stood  remarkably  firm,  even  before  artillery. 

The  enemy  had  planned  to  wreck  our  artillery  transport  train.  This 
attempt  was  a  failure,  but  a  span  of  the  iron  railway  bridge  over  the 
river  was  destroyed,  hampering  the  American  transportation  for  some 
time.  The  Filipinos  cut  the  girders,  intending  to  have  the  structure 
fall  with  the  train,  but  it  collapsed  prematurely  of  its  own  weight. 

Well  Fortified  by  Insurgents. 

The  Bagbag  river,  which  is  about  a  hundred  yards  wide  at  that 
point,  was  splendidly  fortified,  and  the  Americans  were  compelled  to 
approach  across  an  open  space  from  which  the  natives  had  cleared 
every  obstruction  to  sight.  The  bank  of  the  river,  a  high  bluff,  was 
surmounted  with  trenches,  capped  with  rocks,  loopholed  and  partly 
hidden  by  bushes. 


376  CONTINUATION   OF   THE   WAR. 

General  Wheaton's  brigade  approached  the  river  along  the  railroad, 
leaving  camp  beyond  Malolos  City.  General  Ilale's  was  earlier  on  the 
march  and  sweeping  westward  towrard  the  railroad.  The  armored 
train  was  being  pushed  by  Chinamen,  the  Twentieth  Kansas  regiment 
advancing  in  extended  order  on  the  left  and  the  First  Montana  regi 
ment,  with  the  Utah  light  artillery,  on  the  right. 

The  rapid-firing  guns  on  the  train  "opened  the  ball"  at  11:30  a.  m., 
about  a  mile  from  the  river,  their  popping  alternating  continuously 
with  the  boom  of  the  six-pounders.  The  Montana  regiment  and  the 
Utah  artillery  batteries  at  the  same  time  entered  the  jungle,  from  which 
the  insurgents,  who  were  occupying  a  large,  straggling  village  of  huts, 
poured  heavy  volleys.  In  the  course  of  an  hour  the  Americans  had 
forced  a  passage  through  the  woods  to  the  open  space  in  front  of  the 
river,  and  the  artillery,  immediately  on  wheeling  into  the  open,  began 
shelling  the  Filipino  trenches. 


Brilliant  Work  by  Kansans. 

In  the  meantime  Company  K,  Twentieth  Kansas,  led  by  Captain 
Boltwrood,  performed  one  of  the  most  brilliant  achievements  of  the  cam 
paign.  The  regiment  was  being  held  in  reserve,  and  Company  K 
charged  a  distance  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  over  a  cornfield  to  the  bank 
of  the  river,  near  the  bridge,  where  the  insurgents  from  a  trench  were 
peppering  the  train,  then  about  200  yards  down  the  track.  The  com 
pany  found  shelter  in  a  ditch. 

Colonel  Frederick  Funston  called  for  volunteers  to  cross  the  river, 
and  the  colonel  himself,  Lieutenant  Ball,  a  private  of  Company  K,  a 
private  of  Company  E,  Trumpeter  Barsfield  and  Corporal  Ferguson  of 
Company  I  crawled  along  the  iron  girders. 

While  this  was  going  on  the  men  of  Company  K,  from  the  ditch, 
were  fusillading  the  trenches  in  the  endeavor  to  divert  attention,  but 
the  Filipinos  got  the  range  from  a  trench  down  the  river,  and  their 
bullets  soon  spattered  the  water  under  the  structure. 

Having  reached  the  broken  span,  the  small  but  valorous  party  of 
Americans  slid  down  the  caisson,  swam  a  few  yards  to  the  shore  and 
crawled  up  the  bank,  the  little  colonel  leading  the  way  to  the  trenches, 
revolver  in  hand,  while  the  few  remaining  Filipinos  bolted. 

Colonel  Funston  said  afterward:  "It  wasn't  much  to  do.    We  knew 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  377 

they  could  not  shoot  straight,  and  that  our  boys  would  attend  to  them 
while  we  were  crossing." 

Hard  Fight  for  Hale's  Troops. 

General  Hale's  troops,  on  the  right,  had  the  hardest  fight.  They 
followed  the  north  bank  of  the  river  nearest  the  town  from  the  east, 
with  the  First  Nebraska  regiment  on  the  left  and  the  First  South 
Dakota  and  the  Fifty-first  Iowa  beyond.  The  country  to  be  traversed 
was  mostly  jungle,  but  the  Filipinos  stood  their  ground  even  in  the 
open  spaces. 

General  Ilale's  right  joined  General  Wheaton's  left  sobn  after  noon, 
a  curve  in  the  river  enabling  the  Americans  to  pour  an  enfilading  fire 
into  the  enemy's  trenches.  About  this  time  the  cheers  of  the  Kansas 
troops  announced  that  the  Americans  had  crossed  the  river.  General 
Hale's  men  began  to  ford  the  Chico,  a  branch  of  the  Bagbag,  stretching 
to  the  northeast.  The  general  himself  plunged  in  up  to  his  neck,  and 
the  regiments,  all  carrying  flags,  floundered  across  the  stream.  The 
guns  of  the  Utah  light  artillery  were  dragged  over  next  and  formed 
into  an  extended  line  to  advance  upon  the  trenches  before  Calumpit, 
from  which  the  Filipinos  were  pouring  continuous  volleys. 

The  armored  car  had  one  man  killed  and  two  wounded.  The  Kan 
sas  regiment  had  three  wounded  during  the  charge,  and  the  Utah  light 
artillery  one  killed  and  two  wounded.  Most  of  the  other  casualties 
befell  the  South  Dakota  regiments. 

The  fighting  was  resumed  at  6  o'clock  the  following  morning.  Dur 
ing  the  night  the  American  engineers  repaired  the  Bagbag  bridge,  thus 
enabling  our  troops  to  cross  the  river. 

General  Wheaton's  brigade  advanced  in  extended  order,  with  the 
Kansas  regiment  to  the  west  of  the  railroad  and  the  Montana  regiment 
to  the  east  of  it,  and  took  up  a  position  covering  one  and  a  half  miles 
on  the  south  bank  of  the  Kio  Grande.  On  the  opposite  bank  were 
fortified  trenches,  from  which  a  few  American  soldiers  would  have 
been  able  to  defy  thousands,  so  strongly  were  they  constructed. 

Found  Trenches  Deserted. 

The  Americans  found  the  trenches  on  the  south  bank  of  the  river 
deserted,  which  furnished  them  with  cover  from  which  they  could  pick 


378  CONTINUATION   OF   THE   WAR. 

off  Filipinos  whenever  one  of  them  showed  his  head.  When  the  natives 
began  firing,  two  puffs  of  smoke,  simultaneously,  from  the  trenches  on 
each  side  of  the  railroad  track,  showed  they  wrere  using  cannon,  which 
was  a  genuine  surprise  to  the  Americans.  Several  shells  burst  close 
to  General  Wheaton's  staff,  but  it  seemed  that  the  Filipinos  failed 
to  master  the  machinery  of  modern  shells,  as  they  were  unable  to  get 
the  right  range. 

The  taking  of  the  bridge  over  the  Rio  Grande  at  Calumpit,  the  most 
strongly  defended  position  held  by  the  insurgents,  on  April  27,  was 
a  deed  of  astonishing  daring.  This  bridge  was  the  most  valuable  strat 
egic  point  in  Luzon,  and  the  fact  that  it  was  guarded  by  the  most  trust 
worthy  and  best  disciplined  regiments  of  the  Filipinos  made  the  feat 
the  more  noteworthy. 

It  was  a  red  letter  day  for  the  Twentieth  regiment  of  Kansas  volun 
teers,  commanded  by  Colonel  Funston.  One  hundred  and  twenty  men 
belonging  to  that  regiment  crossed  the  river  in  the  face  of  a  deadly 
fire  from  3,000  insurgent  Mausers.  This  torrent  of  bullets  was  aug 
mented  by  the  fusillade  of  a  Maxim  gun,  of  which  the  Filipinos  had 
obtained  possession. 

Colonel  Funston,  with  only  nine  men,  charged  the  trenches  manned 
by  thousands  of  insurgents,  discharging  their  rifles  as  they  ran  up 
the  embankment.  The  American  artillery  on  the  south  shore  of  the 
Rio  Grande  poured  shot  and  shell  into  the  insurgent  stronghold,  until 
the  natives  were  stampeded  and  retreated  north  towards  Bacolor. 

The  Gateway  to  Luzon. 

In  order  to  give  an  adequate  idea  of  the  bravery  of  our  troops  and 
the  extraordinary  character  of  their  achievement,  it  is  necessary  to 
describe  the  defenses  held  by  the  Filipinos  a"nd  the  topography  of  the 
country.  The  bridge  where  the  desperate  fighting  took  place  is  about 
one  hundred  yards  long.  It  extends  over  the  Rio  Grande  and  is  the 
gateway,  practically,  to  the  entire  northern  portion  of  the  island  of 
Luzon.  All  the  ties  and  rails  had  been  removed  from  the  structure, 
making  it  almost  impossible  to  cross,  as  the  men  had  to  creep  along 
the  iron  framework. 

At  the  further  end  of  the  bridge,  opposite  Calumpit,  were  carefully 
constructed  and  formidable  earthworks,  which  seemed  almost  impreg 
nable.  They  were  in  the  form  of  semi-circular  trenches  with  roofs  of 


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CONTINUATION   OF   THE   WAR.  381 

steel  rails  around  the  approach  of  the  bridge,  forming  a  splendid  pro 
tection  against  bursting  shells,  and  for  a  time  they  made  the  work  of 
the  artillery  almost  futile.  These  earthworks  extended  for  a  long 
distance  in  either  direction,  and  were  evidently  the  work  of  many 
weeks.  An  old  Spanish  cannon  was  mounted  near  the  railway,  with  its 
muzzle  pointed  south  towards  Calumpit. 

About  three  hundred  yards  west  of  the  railroad,  on  the  north  shore 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  a  deep,  narrow  stream  empties  into  the  river.  Be 
yond  this  are  other  trenches  commanding  the  south  shore  of  the  river. 

Position  of  the  Opposing  Forces. 

The  American  forces  occupied  the  south  shore,  within  fou.r  hundred 
yards  of  the  insurgent  earthworks.  One  gun  from  the  Sixth  artillery 
and  one  revolving  cannon  were  stationed  in  a  freight-house  near  the 
bridge.  Another  piece  from  the  Sixth  artillery  and  one  of  the  revolv 
ing  guns  belonging  to  the  Utah  battery,  under  Lieutenant  Fleming, 
were  stationed  three  hundred  yards  west,  on  the  bank  of  the  Rio 
Grande.  Then  three  of  the  heavy  guns  of  the  Utah  battery  and  twro 
Gatlings  under  Major  Young  were  placed  at  short  distances  east  of  the 
railway  at  point-blank  range  of  the  insurgent  trenches.  The  Kansas 
regiment  was  west  of  the  railroad  track,  while  the  First  Montana  vol 
unteers  were  on  the  east  side.  In  the  early  morning  the  Filipinos 
began  a  steady  fire  from  both  their  infantry  and  artillery.  Most  of  it 
was  directed  upon  the  freight-house  where  the  Sixth  artillery  gun  was 
stationed.  The  Americans,  however,  returned  such  a  heavy  fire  that 
the  insurgents  wrere  obliged  to  keep  beneath  the  cover  of  their  earth 
works. 

It  was  during  this  fire  that  Colonel  Funston  and  his  one  hundred 
and  twenty  Kansans  performed  the  exploit  of  the  day. 

They  marched  doAvn  to  the  river,  a  distance  of  three  hundred  yards 
from  the  freight-house,  in  plain  view  of  the  insurgents.  Immediately 
the  Filipino  fire  was  directed  upon  the  Kansas  men.  Colonel  Funston 
and  his  men  were  prepared  to  cross  the  river  so  that  they  could  make 
a  flank  attack  upon  the  insurgents  in  the  trenches. 

Privates  White  and  Trembly  of  Company  D  of  the  Kansas  regiment 
stripped  off  their  uniforms,  jumped  into. the  river  and  swam  directly 
toward  the  Filipino  breastworks.  Almost  immediately  they  drew  the 
fire  from  the  trenches  of  the  insurgents,  but  evidently  they  had  not 


382  CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAR. 

been  noticed  at  the  end  of  the  bridge.    The  latter  were  fully  occupied 
by  the  artillery  and  infantry  fire  of  the  Americans. 

Natives  Scared  by  the  Din. 

When  White  and  Trembly  reached  the  shore  they  carried  a  rope 
to  the  beach,  tied  it  to  an  upright  of  the  bridge,  and  by  making  a 
tremendous  noise  frightened  the  insurgents  out.  They  had  no  arms,  but 
they  threw  clods  of  dirt  into  the  trenches  and  kept  up  such  a  terrific 
yelling  that  they  thought  a  whole  company  was  upon  them.  All  this 
time  Colonel  Funston  and  his  men  on  the  south  shore  of  the  river  kept 
up  a  steady  fire,  thereby  protecting  White  and  Trembly.  Two  more 
Kansans  followed  in  a  small  boat  with  the  clothes  and  rifles  which  had 
been  stripped  off  by  Trembly  and  WThite,  but  the  boat  capsized.  Its 
contents  were  lost  and  the  two  men  in  it  were  obliged  to  swim  for 
their  lives. 

Colonel  Funston  in  the  meantime  followed  on  a  raft  with  about 
twenty  men.  Close  behind  him  came  two  more  rafts  on  wThich  were 
thirty  men.  The  appearance  of  this  number  revealed  to  the  main  force 
of  the  Filipinos  the  daring  trick  which  had  been  practiced  upon  them. 
Immediately  they  directed  a  wTild  fire  toward  the  rafts.  It  was  in 
effective.  As  soon  as  Colonel  Funston  reached  the  opposite  shore  with 
his  fifty  men  he  rushed  down  to  the  small  stream  which  empties  into 
the  Rio  Grande  about  three  hundred  yards  from  the  railroad  bridge. 
His  men  were  yelling  like  demons.  They  were  pouring  a  terrific  en 
filading  fire  into  the  main  trenches  of  the  insurgents  across  this  small 
stream. 

The  Filipinos  became  panic-stricken.  There  was  a  regular  stam 
pede.  When  Colonel  Funston  saw  them  running  he  searched  for  some 
place  to  cross,  and  in  so  doing  got  under  fire  from  several  hundred  in 
surgents  who  had  retreated  some  distance  from  the  smaller  stream. 
A  Maxim  gun  was  opened  on  them  from  a  different  direction  and  this 
cross-fire  compelled  them  to  retire.  W7hen  the  Maxim  ceased  the  Fili 
pinos  returned. 

Finally  Colonel  Funston  found  a  small  boat,  and  with  Captain 
Orwig  and  eight  men  crossed  the  small  river  and  with  this  handful  of 
volunteers  charged  straight  into  the  heavy  trenches  held  by  the  Fili 
pinos.  They  chased  the  insurgents  out  of  their  protected  position  and 


CONTINUATION   OF   THE   WAR.  383 

by  the  time  Colonel  Funston  reached  the  railroad  the  Kansas  and 
Montana  troops  began  creeping  across  the  bridge. 

The  Insurgents  Demoralized. 

It  was  thought  the  insurgents  had  fled.  They  were  noticed,  how 
ever,  in  a  big  field  to  the  rear  of  their  intrenchments  forming  a  long 
skirmish  line.  Several  hundred  of  them  prepared  to  advance.  They 
appeared  greatly  demoralized,  however.  Two  generals  on  horses  gal 
loped  wildly  back  and  forth  endeavoring  to  restore  order. 

They  finally  got  the  Filipinos  into  fairly  good  order  as  a  skirmish 
line.  The  generals  could  be  seen  by  the  Americans  urging  their  men 
to  advance.  As  the  line  moved  forward  the  .Kansas  regiment  opened 
fire  from  the  position  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Eio  Grande.  The  in 
surgents  broke  again. 

The  total  Filipino  loss  was  more  than  forty  killed  and  thirty-seven 
were  taken  prisoners  during  the  day.  The  American  loss  wras  slight. 
One  man  was  killed  and  one  wounded  in  the  morning  fight.  In  the 
afternoon  battle  one  man  was  killed  and  several  wounded  in  taking  the 
trenches.  Many  were  overcome  by  the  dreadful  heat  and  long  march 
to  Apalit,  as  the  advance  was  made  during  the  hottest  part  of  the  day. 

General  Mac  Arthur  said  at  the  end  of  the  fight: 

"While  it  was  not  a  bloody  engagement  it  was  one  of  the  most 
daring  and  the  most  magnificent  that  ever  took  place.  When  it  is  con 
sidered  that  the  Filipinos  numbered  several  thousands  of  well-armed 
men,  with  almost  impregnable  trenches,  the  feat  of  our  soldiers  in 
forcing  them  out  is  almost  without  parallel.  I  wrant  to  make  this  state 
ment  strong.  The  credit  of  this  great  success  is  due  to  the  daring  of 
Colonel  Funston  of  the  Kansas  volunteers  and  to  the  quick  discern 
ment  of  General  Wheaton." 

Aguinaldo  Asks  a  Truce. 

The  first  overture  for  peace  in  the  Philippines  was  made  April  28 
by  representatives  of  Aguinaldo. 

The  carriers  of  the  white  flag  were  Colonel  Manuel  Aguelles  and 
Lieutenant  Jose'  Bernal  of  General  Luna's  staff.  They  were  met  at  the 
outposts  in  the  suburbs  of  Calumpit  and  were  escorted  in  the  most  for 
mal  manner  to  the  headquarters  of  General  Otis. 

The  American  commander  received  them  pleasantly,  but  his  face 


384  CONTINUATION    OF   THE   WAR. 

did  not  disclose  the  jubilation  he  must  have  felt  when  he  saw  that  the 
enemy  had  come  to  him  with  an  olive  branch,  telling  him,  to  all  intents, 
that  the  war  was  over. 

The  officers  informed  General  Otis  they  had  been  directed  by  their 
chief  to  say  that  he  desired  to  end  the  war.  It  was  necessary  for 
Aguinaldo,  they  said,  to  bring  the  matter  before  the  Filipino  Congress, 
and  that  body  had  been  called  to  meet  on  May  1  to  consider  terms  of 
peace.  It  was  desired  that  the  American  commander  should  direct  that 
there  be  no  further  aggressive  measures  on  the  part  of  his  forces  for 
two  weeks  in  order  that  the  congress  could  be  brought  together  and  the 
important  matter  discussed. 

General  Otis  heard  the  statements  of  the  native  soldiers  with  the 
greatest  courtesy. 

"Tell  your  General,"  said  he,  "that  he  must  lay  down  his  arms  with 
out  any  reservation  whatever.  I  cannot  recognize  the  Filipino  govern 
ment  or  its  congress.  If  3-011  wrish  peace,  surrender.  You  will  be 
allowed  perfect  amnesty.  There  will  be  no  punishment  for  acts  already 
committed.  America  forgives  you. 

"The  proclamation  issued  by  my  Government  is  sincere,  and  you 
shall  share  with  our  own  people  the  fullest  liberty.  But  now  you  must 
make  a  complete  and  unreserved  surrender.  You  are  compelled  to 
admit  that  you  are  defeated. 

"America  did  not  begin  this  war.  It  was  of  your  own  making. 
There  is  a  big  army  on  the  way  from  the  United  States  and  there  is 
nothing  for  you  to  do  but  surrender.  This  is  absolute." 

In  further  conversation  General  Otis  accentuated  the  demand  that 
there  should  be  a  complete  surrender,  and  pointed  out  the  futility  of 
continued  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  rebels.  He  undoubtedly  made  it 
clear  to  the  emissaries  of  General  Luna  and  Aguinaldo  that  he  had  no 
concessions  to  make. 

Hint  of  New  Proposals. 

Colonel  Aguelles  and  his  companion  listened  with  attention  to  the 
words  of  the  General,,  It  was  plain  that  they  were  seriously  impressed. 
The  Colonel,  in  reply,  said  that  he  was  not  in  a  position  to  make  a 
definite  answer  to  the  demand,  which  was  unexpected.  He  said  that 
he  would  return  to  his  leader  and  that  he  and  the  Lieutenant  might 
be  expected  back  ^with  another  proposition.  With  that  the  interview 
ended. 


CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAR.  385 

The  two  truce-bearers  were  sent  away  with  a  guard,  although  there 
was  no  reason  to  believe  that  they  would  be  molested.  The  populace 
took  the  liveliest  interest  in  their  visit,  but  there  was  no  demonstration. 
The  two  officers  paid  a  visit  to  their  families  and  called  upon  several 
friends. 

In  spite  of  the  peaceful  overtures  of  their  commissioners  the  Fili 
pinos  vigorously  resisted  the  advance  of  General  MacArthur's  division 
from  Apalit  toward  San  Fernando,  fighting  desperately  at  long  range, 
after  running  from  trench  to  trench  when  driven  out  by  the  American 
artillery. 

The  movement  commenced  at  5:30  on  the  morning  of  May  4.  Gen 
eral  Hale's  brigade,  consisting  of  five  Gatlings  under  command  of  Major 
Young  of  the  Sixth  artillery,  two  battalions  of  the  Fifty-first  Iowa  regi 
ment,  the  First  Nebraska  regiment  and  the  First  Dakota  regiment,  ad 
vanced  along  the  road,  a  few  miles  west  of  the  railway  line. 

General  Wheaton,  with  Ilotchkiss  and  Gatling  guns,  under  the 
command  of  Lieutenant  Naylor  of  the  Utah  light  artillery,  mounted  on 
handcars,  pushed  ahead,  the  Twentieth  Kansas  and  First  Montana  regi 
ments  deploying  to  the  right  and  left  when  feasible. 

The  country  to  be  traversed  proved  to  be  the  worst  yet  encountered, 
miles  of  marshes  and  many  unfordable  streams  delaying  the  advance 
materially.  Both  brigades  met  with  resistance  simultaneously  on  ap 
proaching  the  river  near  San  Tomas,  which  is  about  eight  kilometers 
from  Apalit.  The  center  span  of  the  railroad  bridge  had  dropped  into 
the  river,  and  the  rebels  had  only  left  a  small  force  to  check  General 
Wheaton,  their  main  body  lining  the  strong  trenches  in  front  of  General 
Hale. 

Although  the  attacking  force  poured  a  heavy  artillery  and  musketry 
fire  across  the  river,  the  enemy  stubbornly  resisted  for  over  an  hour, 
ultimately  breaking  when  Major  Young  shelled  their  left  flank,  and 
then  retreating  along  the  river  bank  under  cover. 

Retreat  and  Burn  Villages. 

General  Wheaton  in  the  meantime  tried  ineffectually  to  draw  the 
fire  of  the  Filipinos  in  the  trenches  east  of  the  track.  So  soon  as  they 
discovered  that  the  nature  of  the  country  would  permit  only  a  few 
skirmishes  on  each  side  of  the  embankment  the  natives  regained  their 
courage  and  fought  desperately  for  three-quarters  of  an  hour  in  the  face 


3SG  CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAR 

of  the  American  volleys  and  a  rapid-fire  fusillade,  until  flanked  by  the 
Montana  regiment.  Then  a  general  scramble  ensued,  most  of  the  enemy 
boarding  trains  that  were  in  readiness,  and  the  others  taking  the  road 
to  San  Fernando,  after  burning  the  villages  of  San  Tomas  and  Minalin. 

About  noon  General  Wheaton  crossed  the  broken  bridge,  cleared 
the  stragglers  out  of  the  villages  and  advanced  toward  San  Fernando. 
General  Hale  effected  a  crossing  simultaneously,  after  a  slight  delay 
necessary  to  repair  a  stone  bridge. 

The  main  body  of  the  enemy  was  at  San  Fernando  under  the  per 
sonal  command  of  General  Luna.  After  an  hour's  hard  fighting  the 
insurgents  retreated  in  the  direction  of  Santo  Tomas,  which  is  a  mile 
west  of  the  railway.  Two  companies  of  the  Twentieth  Kansas  regi 
ment  pursued.  A  great  many  of  the  insurgents  were  captured  and 
when  the  Kansas  volunteers  reached  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  Gen 
eral  Luna  ordered  his  troops  to  fall  back  for  a  mile  to  a  position  a  mile 
east  of  the  railroad,  where  the  foothills  form  natural  intrenchmeiits. 

In  the  meanwhile  Lawton's  troops  had  advanced  to  Santo  Tomas, 
driving  the  insurgents  before  them.  Before  the  Filipinos  left  the  city 
they  fired  the  houses.  Wheaton's  brigade  advanced  on  General  Luna's 
men  and  a  desperate  stand  was  made.  The  Americans  secured  a  posi 
tion  in  the  freight  house  of  Santo  Tomas,  from  which  an  effective  fire 
was  directed  upon  the  Filipinos,  who  were  more  protected  by  their 
natural  earthworks. 

After  half  an  hour's  firing  General  Wheaton,  attended  by  his  own 
staff,  and  Colonel  Funston,  leading  four  companies  of  the  Kansas  regi 
ment,  made  a  dash  across  the  open  field.  The  American  soldiers  for 
sook  the  protection  of  the  buildings  along  the  railroad  and  started  on 
a  dead  run  for  the  insurgents.  It  was  a  most  picturesque  and  gallant 
charge  which  General  Wheaton  and  Colonel  Funston  led.  Behind  them 
came  the  soldiers,  all  cheering  and  yelling  for  their  lives.  Colonel 
Funston  was  slightly  wounded  in  the  hand,  but  not  seriously  enough  to 
/incapacitate  him  from  duty. 

Two  Americans  Killed. 

The  total  losses  of  the  day  on  the  American  side  were  two  killed 
and  fifteen  wounded.  In  this  number  of  wounded  are  included  the  offi 
cers  who  were  struck  by  Filipino  bullets. 

Immediately  before  the  battle  of  San  Tomas,  when  General  Luna 


CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAR.  387 

saw  that  an  engagement  with  the  American  troops  was  inevitable,  he 
sent  back  an  aid  post  haste  to  Bacolor,  where  General  Mascardo  was, 
demanding  re-enforcements.  Mascardo's  reply  was  that  he  would  take 
orders  from  no  one  but  Aguinaldo.  This  defiance  so  infuriated  Luna 
that,  in  spite  of  the  impending  conflict  with  the  common  enemy,  he  took 
1,500  of  his  soldiery  and  made  a  forced  march  to  Bacolor,  intent  on 
chastising  his  comrade-in-arms. 

Mascardo  was  nothing  loth  to  fight  it  out,  and  ordered  his  command 
into  line  of  battle.  Shouts  of  hatred  and  defiance  were  heard  on  both 
sides.  Outside  the  opposing  forces  the  insurgents'  camp  was  all  con 
fusion.  Aguinaldo,  terrified  by  the  situation,  ordered  his  chief  of  staff, 
Colonel  Arguelles,  to  make  peace  at  all  hazards.  The  soldiers  had 
loaded  their  pieces  and  were  waiting  for  orders  to  begin  the  onslaught, 
when  Arguelles  galloped  between  the  lines,  frantically  waving  a  flag 
of  truce.  There  was  an  angry  conference  between  him  and  the  rival 
generals.  Aguinaldo  was  drawn  into  it.  With  all  the  intensity  at  his 
command  he  begged  Luna  and  Mascardo  not  to  plunge  the  Filipino 
forces  into  civil  strife  at  a  time  when  they  were  already  broken  and 
demoralized  by  successive  defeats  at  the  hands  of  the  Americans.  His 
entreaties  prevailed  for  the  time  being.  Luna  sullenly  returned  to  the 
front  after  the  commanding  general  had  provided  him  with  re-enforce 
ments  and  ordered  Mascardo  to  be  court-martialed  for  not  having  sent 
them  at  first. 

Major-General  Lawton's  column  advanced  to  a  position  two  and  a 
half  miles  north  of  Balinag  on  May  6.  Before  making  a  forward  move 
ment  General  Lawton  sent  back  to  Manila  two  wounded  men  of  the 
Minnesota  regiment  and  one  of  the  Oregonians  who  were  hurt  in  yes 
terday's  fighting,  besides  twenty  sick  men.  They  were  sent  by  way  of 
Malolos. 

General  Lawton's  advance  met  with  but  slight  opposition.  Outside 
of  Maasin  2,000  insurgents  WT!IO  occupied  an  intrenched  position  were 
routed  in  short  order. 

Natives  Given  Office. 

The  first  Filipino  municipal  government  sanctioned  by  the  Amer 
icans  was  established  at  Baliang  on  May  8.  General  Lawton  had  au 
thorized  the  inhabitants  of  the  village  to  select  a  native  for  mayor,  and 
to  elect  a  Filipino  council,  and  this  was  done.  The  peaceful  Filipinos 


388  CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAR. 

were  much  pleased  by  this  concession,  and  hundreds  of  the  refugees 
returned  to  their  homes.  They  were  given  food  supplies  of  rice 
and  sugar  from  the  insurgent  stores  which  had  been  captured  by  Gen 
eral  Lawton  when  he  seized  Baliang,  and  this  policy  did  much  to 
weaken  Aguinaldo's  power  in  this  section  of  the  island. 

There  was  a  hard  fight  May  8  at  San  Ildefonso.  A  reconnoitering 
party,  consisting  of  one  company  of  Minnesota  volunteers  and  two  com 
panies  from  the  Oregon  regiment,  ran  into  a  force  of  insurgents  strongly 
intrenched  at  San  Ildefonso.  A  system  of  heavy  earthworks  extended 
from  an  impenetrable  swamp  on  the  left  along  the  ridge  fronting  the 
town.  Flanking  trenches  had  been  thrown  up,  commanding  every  ap 
proach  to  the  village.  The  Americans  were  within  short  range  of  the 
earthworks  before  they  were  aware  of  the  presence  of  the  Filipinos.  A 
furious  fusillade  came  from  the  insurgent  stronghold,  and  the  Amer 
icans  were  forced  to  withdraw.  Major  Diggles  of  the  Minnesota  regi 
ment,  was  shot  through  the  head.  A  corporal,  belonging  to  one  of  the 
Oregon  companies,  received  a  bullet  wound  in  the  arm. 

General  Mascardo's  army,  inspired  by  wine  taken  from  the  store 
houses  of  Bacolor  and  by  the  general's  oratory  on  the  evening  of  May  8, 
attacked  San  Fernando.  There  was  tremendous  yelling  and  a  great 
expenditure  of  cartridges  by  the  natives,  but  very  little  result.  General 
Mascardo  held  the  outskirts  of  Bacolor  west  of  the  railroad.  In  front 
of  his  positions  were  the  Kansas  and  Montana  regiments,  which  occu 
pied  trenches  that  the  Filipinos  had  constructed  in  anticipation  of  an 
attack  from  the  direction  of  the  sea. 

During  the  afternoon  General  Mascardo,  with  a  large  retinue  of  offi 
cers,  rode  along  the  lines,  frequently  stopping  to  harangue  his  warriors. 
At  dusk  a  detachment  of  the  enemy  rushed  toward  the  outposts  of  the 
Montana  regiment,  but  were  met  by  a  hot  fire  from  the  Montana  regi 
ment's  line.  The  insurgents,  from  trenches  nearly  three  miles  long, 
responded. 

Distributed  Barrels  of  Wine. 

After  an  hour's  firing,  during  which  one  private  soldier  of  the 
Montana  regiment  was  wounded,  the  insurgents  subsided,  although 
they  kept  up  a  scattering  fire  throughout  the  night.  Prisoners  who 
were  brought  into  the  American  lines  said  that  General  Mascardo  dis 
tributed  barrels  of  wine  among  his  soldiers,  telling  them  that  he  ex- 


CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAK.  389 

pected  to  capture  the  city  of  San  Fernando.  The  trenches  undoubtedly 
saved  the  Americans  from  heavy  loss,  the  bullets  falling  thick  about 
them  during  the  engagement. 

The  "tinclad"  gunboats  Laguna  de  Bay  and  Cavedonga,  under  com 
mand  of  Captain  Grant,  steamed  up  the  Rio  Grande  to  Calumpit  May 
10,  clearing  the  entire  country  of  rebels  from  the  bay  upward. 

When  the  vessels  reached  Macabebe  about  1,000  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  place  assembled  upon  the  banks  of  the  river,  cheering  the  expe 
dition  lustily.  Captain  Grant  was  given  an  ovation  when  he  went 
ashore. 

Many  of  the  Macabebes  said  they  were  anxious  to  enter  the  service 
of  the  American  navy  for  the  campaign  against  the  Tagols. 

A  Message  from  Aguinaldo. 

The  members  of  Aguinaldo's  cabinet  tendered  their  resignations  on 
May  3.  Coupled  with  the  various  resignations  was  the  unanimous 
recommendation  that  Mabini  be  retained  as  secretary  of  state.  The 
Filipinos  claim  that  the  motive  of  this  wholesale  resignation  was  to 
leave  Aguinaldo  at  liberty  to  appoint  a  new  cabinet  if  desired.  Aguiu- 
aldo,  in  answer  to  the  resignations,  sent  a  message  to  the  house  of 
representatives  of  the  so-called  Filipino  government  and  said  that  he 
was  satisfied  with  the  personnel  of  the  present  cabinet. 

Then  he  followed  with  a  long  resume  of  the  situation  as  it  is  at 
present.  The  following  are  extracts  of  the  statement  which  Aguinaldo 
sent  to  the  Filipino  legislature: 

"You  are  obliged  to  inaugurate  your  difficult  task  at  the  moment  of 
greatest  anguish  to  the  country;  when  the  guns  of  the  enemy  do  not 
respect  either  life,  honor  or  public  interest. 

"The  representative  of  the  American  government  brought  me  from 
Hongkong  with  promises  that  he  would  aid  in  the  reconquest  of  this 
country's  lost  liberty.  Fortunately  the  people,  anticipating  my  desires, 
had  thrown  off  the  yoke  of  Spanish  domination  without  foreign  aid. 

"Trusting  in  the  honesty  of  the  Americans  and  recognizing  that  our 
easy  triumph  was  partly  due  to  their  destruction  of  the  Spanish  fleet, 
I  have  obtained  the  friendship  of  those  representatives  by  assuring 
them  that  the  Filipinos  preferred  an  alliance  with  America  to  any 
other  nation.  Unfortunately  my  efforts  encountered  their  pretension, 


390  CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAR. 

which  was  as  inconceivable  as  it  was  firm,  that  I  should  be  subservient 
to  their  orders.  My  negative  answer  induced  them  to  decline  to  recog> 
nize  our  government." 

Accuses  Washington  Officials, 

Aguinaldo,  in  continuing  his  address  to  the  legislature,  accuses  the 
authorities  at  Washington  of  precipitating  the  present  hostilities  with 
out  warning  or  without  declaring  wrar,  because  President  McKinley  be 
lieved  the  sentiment  of  the  people  in  America  was  going  rapidly  against 
the  acquirement  of  the  Philippines.  lie  acknowledged  the  superiority 
of  arms,  of  discipline  and  of  the  numbers  of  the  American  forces. 

The  Filipino  soldiers  received  wTarm  praise  in  the  address  for  their 
bravery  in  maintaining  the  unequal  struggle,  as  follows: 

"I  am  deeply  moved  by  such  an  exhibition  of  virtue  and  patriotism. 
I  am  convinced  that  I  should  not  be  permitted  to  abuse  the  generous 
sentiment  of  these  unfortunate  people  any  longer  or  continue  to  extend 
the  strife  and  their  sacrifice  unless  it  wTere  absolutely  necessary. 

"I  have  solicited  the  members  of  the  American  Philippine  commis 
sion  for  a  temporary  but  general  suspension  of  hostilities.  I  did  this 
in  order  to  secure  time  in  which  to  allow  the  Filipinos  to  consider  the 
sad  situation  and  debate  upon  the  guaranty  of  liberty  which  might 
be  offered  by  our  enemies,  but  the  Americans  refused  to  consider  with 
out  previous  unconditional  submission  to  their  orders.  Our  efforts  were 
all  against  any  such  plan,  which  would  oblige  us  to  recognize  their  sov 
ereignty,  with  no  guaranty  except  their  promise  of  liberty. 

"I  am  now  fully  convinced  that  our  arms  constitute  the  sole  means 
of  gaining  our  aspirations.  I  believe  this  because  for  the  fulfillment 
of  the  promises  made  by  the  American  government  it  is  necessary  that 
a  formal  agreement  be  drawn  up  between  the  Filipinos  and  the  Amer 
icans.  This  agreement  must  be  approved  by  the  American  congress. 
No  such  document  exists,  nor  will  the  Americans  give  the  Filipinos 
time  to  draft  one  conformable  with  our  desires  and  customs.  There 
fore  it  is  evident  they  desire  to  fulfill  the  promises  they  have  made  only 
when  it  is  convenient  to  them. 

Must  Keep  up  the  Struggle. 

"It  would  be  cruelty  for  us  to  submit  with  such  indiscretion  and 
abandon  our  defenseless  people  to  the  merciless  foreign  guns  and 


CONTINUATION    OF    THE    WAR.  391 

non,  which  would  vomit  their  greatest  abuses  upon  us  after  we  had 
relinquished  our  arms.  You  will  understand  that  there  is  no  other 
recourse  for  me  than  to  maintain  this  struggle  till  death.  I  rest  with 
the  assurance  that  we  will  achieve  a  final  triumph,  which  will  be  the 
more  brilliant  on  account  of  the  terrible  obstacles  we  will  have  over 
come.  Providential  events  unforeseen  may  change  the  outcome  of  this 
struggle  in  a  single  instance." 

Twenty  American  scouts  under  command  of  Captains  Case  and 
B'erkheimer,  with  two  companies  of  the  Minnesota  and  Oregon  volun 
teer  regiments,  flanked  the  insurgents  at  San  Ildefonso  on  the  morn 
ing  of  May  13  and  captured  that  place.  The  natives  were  so  terrorized 
that,  although  they  fired  over  20,000  rounds  of  ammunition,  they  only 
wounded  one  scout.  The  Americans  killed  one  insurgent  officer  and 
wounded  six  soldiers.  The  insurgents  retreated  to  San  Miguel,  six 
miles  north  of  San  Ildefonso. 

Records  that  were  captured  indicated  that  one-fifth  of  the  opposing 
insurgent  force  has  been  killed  and  wrounded  since  General  Lawton's 
advance  began  on  May  1. 

Spaniards  and  Natives  Battle. 

General  Rios,  Spain's  military  representative  in  Manila,  informed 
General  Otis  that  the  inhabitants  of  Zamboanga,  on  the  island  of 
Mindanao,  demanded  arms  from  General  Montero  for  defense  against 
the  American  forces,  but  their  request  was  refused.  The  natives  at 
midnight  then  opened  fire  on  the  Spaniards  with  the  machine  guns 
and  rifles  stolen  from  Spanish  gunboats.  The  natives  were  repulsed 
with  great  loss.  General  Montero,  a  major  of  engineers,  and  Captain 
Builea  were  seriously  wrounded,  Lieutenant  Granado  was  slightly 
injured,  one  private  soldier  was  killed  and  three  wrounded.  The  na 
tives  cut  off  the  water  supply  and  other  resources  of  the  Spaniards  at 
Zamboanga. 

The  Filipinos  resumed  the  attempt  to  induce  the  Americans  to  dis 
cuss  the  situation.  Reyes,  a  young  lieutenant  on  the  staff  of  General 
Gregorio  Del  Pilar,  came  to  General  Lawton  on  May  13  under  a  flag  of 
truce.  He  was  accompanied  by  a  barefooted  bugler.  The  two  were 
escorted  to  Manila  by  Captain  Sewall  of  General  Lawton's  staff. 

Reyes  told  Major  General  Otis  that  Aguiualdo  desired  passes  for  a 


392  CONTINUATION    OF   THE   WAR. 

military  commission  to  come  to  Manila  to  confer  with  the  American- 
Philippine  commissioners.  General  Otis  replied  that  passes  would  not 
be  necessary,  as  unarmed  commissioners  could  enter  the  American 
lines.  He  would  leave  the  matter,  he  said,  in  General  Lawton's  hands. 

Lawton  Occupies  San  Isidro. 

On  the  morning  of  May  17  Colonel  French,  with  the  Twenty-second 
regiment,  the  Thirteenth  Minnesota  volunteers  and  a  battalion  of  the 
Oregon  regiment,  advanced  from  Balnaste  and  at  9  o'clock  reached 
the  Filipino  lines  in  front  of  San  Isidro.  Contrary  to  expectations, 
slight  resistance  was  offered  by  the  insurgents. 

When  the  main  bod}7  of  General  Lawton's  command  came  up  the 
forces  of  Colonel  French  had  invested  the  town.  This  village  was  re 
garded  as  one  of  the  most  important  points  occupied  by  the  Filipinos, 
and  its  capture  was  a  decisive  blow  a£  linst  the  insurrection. 

On  May  18  General  Otis  cabled  the  war  department  at  Washington 
as  follows: 

"Manila,  May  18. — Adjutant-General,  Washington:  Representative 
insurgent  cabinet  and  Aguinaldo  in  mountains  twelve  miles  north  of 
San  Isidro,  which  abandoned  15th  inst.,  will  send  in  commission  to 
morrow  to  seek  terms  of  peace. 

"Majority  of  force  confronting  MacArthur  at  San  Fernando  has 
retired  to  Tarlac,  tearing  up  two  miles  railway;  this  force  has  decreased 
to  about  2,500.  Scouting  parties  and  detachments  moving  to-day  in 
various  directions,  Kobbe  with  column  at  Candava  on  Kio  Grande. 

"Great  majority  of  inhabitants  of  provinces  over  which  troops  have 
moved  anxious  for  peace,  supported  by  members  insurgent  cabinet. 
Aspect  of  affairs  at  present  favorable.  OTIS." 

Major  Kobbe's  brigade  took  Candoba  on  the  morning  of  May  18 
without  opposition.  Captain  Grant,  with  the  gunboat  Laguna  de  Bay, 
steamed  up  the  river  ahead  of  Major  Kobbe's  command,  and,  on  reach 
ing  the  town,  found  white  flags  flying  from  all  the  windows.  A  Fili 
pino  school-teacher,  who  spoke  English,  hurried  down  to  Major  Kobbe 
and  offered  to  surrender  the  town.  The  insurgent  governor  and  the 
majority  of  the  native  inhabitants  had  fled  from  the  village.  Major 
Kobbe  sent  a  messenger  after  them  with  the  assurance  that  they  would 
be  treated  kindly,  and  a  large  number  returned. 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  393 

Admiral  Dewey  Homeward  Bound. 

The  cruiser  Olympia,  with  Admiral  Dewey  on  board,  left  Manila  on 
its  homeward  journey  to  the  United  States  on  the  afternoon  of  May  20. 

"Happy?"  said  Admiral  Dewey,  half  an  hour  before  sailing. 
"IJappy?  When  I  am  going  home  after  thirteen  months  this  day? 
Happy?  I  cannot  find  words  to  express  my  joy.  I  shall  go  first  to 
Montpelier.  I  am  sorry  I  could  not  cross  the  continent,  but  I  did  not 
feel  equal  to  the  strain." 

It  was  a  magnificent  scene  in  Manila  harbor  when  the  Olympia, 
with  Admiral  Dewey  on  board,  started  on  the  long  voyage.  Anchor 
was  weighed  promptly  as  eight  bells  sounded.  Just  as  the  Olympia 
started,  its  jackies  scrambled  up  the  rigging,  manning  the  yards,  and 
presenting  a  spectacle  that  made  the  blood  tingle. 

As  the  Olympia  passed  the  Oregon  the  crew  of  that  battleship  gave 
nine  cheers  for  the  Olympians,  who  responded  by  throwing  their  caps 
so  high  that  dozens  of  them  were  left  bobbing  in  the  wake  of  the 
cruiser. 

Then  followed  the  noisiest  half  hour  known  in  this  harbor  since 
the  battle  which  linked  its  name  with  that  of  Dewey. 

The  din  of  guns  and  brass  bauds  echoed  through  the  smoke  and  the 
fleet  of  steam  launches  shrieked  their  whistles,  the  musicians  of  the 
Baltimore  played  "Home,  Sweet  Home,"  her  flags  signalled  "Good-by," 
and  those  of  the  Oregon  said  "Pleasant  voyage." 

The  merchant  vessels  dipped  their  flags,  the  women  on  the  decks 
of  the  vessels  of  the  fleet  waved  handkerchiefs,  and  the  great,  black 
British  cruiser  Powerful,  which  lay  the  furthest  out,  saluted  the 
Olympia.  The  latter's  band  played  "God  Save  the  Queen,"  and  to  this 
the  crew  of  the  Powerful  responded  with  hearty  cheers  for  the  Olympia. 

The  last  music  heard  from  Admiral  Dewey's  ship  was  "Auld  Lang 
Syne,"  while  the  guns  from  the  forts  at  Cavite  and  from  the  Monterey, 
on  guard  off  Paranaque,  too  far  to  be  audible,  puffed  white  clouds  of 
smoke.  The  Olympia  was  disappearing  past  Corregidor  Island,  when 
a  battery  before  the  walled  city  spoke  Manila's  last  word  of  farewell. 

Progress  up  the  Rio  Grande. 

Colonel  Kobbe's  expedition  up  the  Ixio  Grande  River  met  with  no 
resistance  except  at  the  outskirts  of  San  Luis,  where  several  hundred 


394  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

Filipinos  were  intrenched  on  the  banks  o^the  stream,  'rhe  rebels  re 
treated  beyond  Candaba  and  the  gunboats  steamed  ahead,  all  the  way 
training  their  Catling  guns  upon  the  banks  and  dropping  shells  wher 
ever  uniforms  appeared  on  the  shore.  The  gunboats  dispersed  the 
insurgents  before  San  Luis. 

After  they  had  passed  sharpshooters  in  trees  across  the  river,  a 
hundred  yards  distant,  harassed  the  Seventeenth  infantry,  which  was 
marching  by  fours  along  the  narrow  wooded  road,  from  which  the 
troops  were  unable  to  see  the  enemy.  The  members  of  one  battalion 
lay  on  their  faces  in  the  road  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour  trying  to  locate 
the  riflemen  and  return  their  fire. 

The  road  wound  close  to  the  stream,  and  was  in  a  thickly  settled 
district.  It  was  a  picturesque  march.  Many  groups  of  hundreds  of 
natives  were  clustered  under  the  trees  on  the  opposite  banks,  display 
ing  white  shirts,  towels,  sheets,  or  anything  white  on  poles.  Some 
shouted  welcomes  to  the  American  soldiers,  but  most  of  them  main 
tained  a  sullen  silence. 

An  old  man  in  a  carriage  met  the  troops  two  miles  outside  of  the 
town.  He  said:  "I  have  lived  in  England,  and  I  have  told  the  people 
that  the  Americans  are  like  the  English  and  that  they  need  not  be 
afraid." 

Captain  Grant,  in  command  of  the  gunboats,  landed  before  the 
troops  arrived,  and  met  with  a  "Porto  Rican"  welcome.  The  natives, 
who  had  assembled  on  the  shore,  crowded  about  the  Americans  with 
fulsome  expressions  of  friendship,  apparently  half  afraid  that  they 
would  be  massacred. 

Captain  Grant  quickly  distributed  the  men  from  the  gunboat 
Laguna  de  Bay  to  guard  the  town,  and  the  natives  sent  a  messenger 
to  tell  the  people  who  had  taken  refuge  in  the  swamps  to  return.  Hun 
dreds  of  the  natives  thereupon  returned  timidly,  a  man  with  an  impro 
vised  flag  of  truce  flying  from  a  bamboo  pole  preceding  each  party. 

Leaders  Terrify  Natives 

A  Capuchin  priest,  one  of  the  few  whom  the  Filipinos  had  not 
imprisoned,  was  found  at  Candaba.  He  said  it  was  useless  to  try  to 
convince  the  natives  that  the  Americans  had  not  come  to  oppress  them, 
as  they  believed  their  leaders,  who  had  strongly  impressed  this  belief 


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CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  307 

upon  them.  The  walls  of  the  towns  were  placarded  with  reports  of  the 
slaughter  of  Americans,  hundreds  of  whom  were  said  to  have  been 
taken  prisoners. 

As  soon  as  Colonel  Kobbe  reached  San  Luis  the  natives  raided  the 
insurgents'  rice  stores.  All  day  a  stream  of  half-naked  people  emerged 
from  the  storehouse,  in  the  manner  of  ants,  rushing  to  their  homes 
with  bags  of  rice  on  their  heads. 

Terms  Proposed  to  Filipinos. 

On  May  22,  Professor  Schurman,  head  of  the  United  States  Philip 
pine  commission,  submitted  the  following  written  propositions  to  the 
Filipinos: 

"While  the  final  decision  as  to  the  form  of  government  is  in  the 
hands  of  the  congress,  the  President,  under  his  military  powers,  pend 
ing  the  action  of  congress,  stands  ready  to  offer  the  following  form  of 
government: 

"A  governor-general,  to  be  appointed  by  the  President;  a  cabinet, 
to  be  appointed  by  the  governor-general;  all  the  judges  to  be  appointed 
by  the  President;  the  heads  of  departments  and  judges  to  be  either 
Americans  or  Filipinos,  or  both;  and  also  a  general  advisory  council, 
its  members  to  be  chosen  by  the  people  by  a  form  of  suffrage  to  be  here 
after  carefully  determined  upon. 

"The  President  earnestly  desires  that  bloodshed  cease,  and  that  the 
people  of  the  Philippines  at  an  early  date  enjoy  the  largest  measure 
of  self-government  compatible  with  peace  and  order." 

The  United  States  commission  prepared  the  scheme,  and  the  Presi 
dent  cabled  his  approval  of  the  form  of  the  document. 

The  Filipinos  made  no  definite  proposition,  except  for  a  cessation 
of  hostilities  until  they  can  present  the  question  of  peace  to  the  people. 
Professor  Schurman  told  the  Filipinos  they  had  no  means  of  gathering 
the  people  together,  as  the  Americans  control  most  of  the  ports.  He 
also  reminded  them  that  a  liberal  form  of  government  was  offered 
them,  and  pointed  out  that  it  was  better  than  the  conditions  existing 
under  Spanish  rule. 

Gozaga,  president  of  the  Filipino  commission,  replied  that  nothing 
could  be  worse  than  Spanish  rule,  and  admitted  that  the  form  of  gov 
ernment  proposed  was  liberal.  The  civilian  members  of  the  Filipino 


398  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

commission  declined  to  co-operate  with  the  other  members  of  that  com 
mission,  as  the  former  considered  Aguinaldo's  latest  demand  to  be 
preposterous,  after  Major-General  Otis'  refusal  of  an  armistice,  refer 
ring  to  his  wish  for  time  in  order  to  consult  the  Filipino  congress. 

Filipinos  Fight  Hard. 

Thirty  Filipinos  were  killed  and  over  sixty  wounded  in  a  battle 
which  took  place  on  the  morning  of  May  24  between  the  American 
forces  and  the  insurgents  at  Santa  Arita,  one  mile  north  of  San  Fer 
nando.  The  Americans  lost  one  man.  Twelve  of  our  troops  were 
wounded. 

The  insurgents  made  the  attack.  About  nine  o'clock  the  Filipinos 
opened  fire  upon  the  outposts  of  General  MacArthnr's  command.  The 
American  scouts  fought  bravely,  and  held  the  natives  back  until  they 
were  re-enforced  by  troops  from  San  Fernando. 

General  Mac-Arthur  at  the  head  of  two  battalions  of  the  Montana 
regiment  and  General  Funston  leading  two  battalions  of  the  Kansas 
regiment,  two  guns  from  the  Utah  battery,  one  Hotchkiss  and  one 
Gatling  gun  hurried  to  the  assistance  of  the  outposts. 

The  insurgents  were  occupying  the  trenches  which  they  had  pre 
viously  vacated  at  the  fall  of  San  Fernando.  The  Kansas  troops  de 
ployed  to  the  right,  while  the  Montana  soldiers  went  to  the  extreme 
left.  The  artillery  was  left  in  the  center  of  the  line. 

The  Filipinos  made  an  obstinate  resistance.  Finally  they  attempted 
to  retreat,  but  found  themselves  flanked  by  the  Kansas  troops.  Gen 
eral  Funston  charged  his  men,  and  drove  the  insurgents  right  over  into 
the  fire  of  the  Montana  volunteers.  Finally  they  escaped  from  this 
fearful  fire,  but  they  left  their  dead  and  wounded  where  they  had 
dropped  on  the  battlefield. 

Besides  the  killed  and  wounded,  ninety  were  made  prisoners,  while 
over  one  hundred  stands  of  arms  were  captured,  having  been  dropped 
by  the  natives  in  their  wild  flight  from  the  Americans'  fire. 

Fire  on  San  Fernando. 

The  insurgents  made  a  daring  attack  upon  San  Fernando  early  in 
the  morning  of  May  20.  This  attack  was  one  of  the  few  in  which  the 
Filipinos  assumed  the  aggressive  where  the  American  troops  had  a 
force  of  any  size. 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  390 

They  bad  crept  back  to  the  trenches  from  which  they  had  been 
driven  by  Generals  MacArthur  and  Funston,  and  made  this  attack  on 
the  city,  which  once  was  Aguinaldo's  capital. 

The  Montana  regiment,  under  General  MacArthur,  immediately  left 
San  Fernando  and  formed  a  skirmish  line  along  the  railroad.  This 
quick  move  surprised  the  insurgents,  who  fell  back,  but  all  the  time 
of  the  retreat  returning  fully  as  heavy  a  fire  as  the  advancing  Ameri 
cans  poured  into  them. 

Two  companies  of  the  Kansas  regiment  were  rushed  to  the  support 
of  the  Montanas.  The  insurgents  crossed  the  tracks  to  the  north  of  the 
position  taken  by  the  American  troops  and  made  a  final  stand.  Their 
line  extended  on  both  sides  of  the  railroad  tracks.  They  poured  a 
heavy  fire  into  the  Montanas.  A  battalion  of  the  Kansas  regiment, 
under  Major  Watson,  formed  on  the  left  flank  along  the  railroad,  while 
the  South  Dakotas  re-enforced  the  outpost  under  Colonel  Frost. 

General  Hale,  at  the  head  of  the  Iowra  regiment,  swung  around  to 
the  right.  The  insurgents  were  thus  surrounded  on  three  sides.  Tlie 
fight  was  'fast  and  furious  for  an  hour.  General  MacArthur  was  ready 
to  bring  the  artillery  into  play  when  General  Funston  reported  that 
the  Filipinos  were  retiring.  They  broke  their  way  out  of  the  semi 
circle  of  American  soldiers  to  the  woods  and  broke  up  in  small  squads. 
When  daylight  broke  it  was  ascertained  that  the  insurgents  had  carried 
many  of  their  wounded  with  them  to  the  woods  while  still  protected 
by  the  darkness. 

A  Victim  of  Treachery. 

On  May  27  the  cable  ship  Recorder,  which  was  engaged  in  picking 
up  the  broken  cable  connecting  the  islands  of  Negros  and  Cebu,  entered 
the  harbor  of  the  town  of  Escalante.  Captain  Tilly,  who  was  on  the 
Recorder  for  the  purpose  of  observing  the  work  of  the  signal  corps  in 
repairing  the  broken  cable,  and  a.  party  of  the  ship's  officers  went 
ashore  in  the  launch.  A  flag  of  truce  was  hoisted  by  the  natives  on 
shore,  and  the  Americans,  thrown  off  their  guard,  sailed  boldly  to  the 
shore  and  disembarked.  The  insurgents  waited  until  the  entire  party 
had  landed,  and  then  treacherously  poured  a  murderous  volley  into 
the  little  party. 

Captain  Tilly  and  the  second  mate  threw  themselves  into  the  water, 


400  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

hoping  to  escape  from  the  bullets.  The  commander,  heedless  of  the 
great  danger,  reached  the  launch  again  and  put  off  from  the  bank.  He 
thus  saved  it  from  being  captured.  In  the  meantime  the  bullets  fell 
like  rain  about  the  fugitive  Americans. 

The  second  officer  was  picked  up  by  the  launch  just  as  he  was  sink 
ing  from  exhaustion,  but  Captain  Tilly  sank  before  aid  could  reach  him 
and  was  drowned. 

Memorial  Day  in  Manila. 

Memorial  day  was  celebrated  at  Battery  Knoll,  where  Scott's  guns 
were  planted  against  the  Filipino  trenches  in  the  first  day's  fighting  at 
Manila.  Nearly  three  hundred  soldiers  lie  buried  there  on  a  black 
mound,  surrounded  by  rice  fields,  rough  boards  marking  the  graves, 
which  are  ranged  in  five  unbroken  rows.  Beyond  these  are  Spanish 
blockhouses  and  bamboo  hedges,  which  were  mown  by  shells  from  the 
American  guns. 

The  few  soldiers  who  could  be  spared  from  the  trenches  came  to 
Battery  Knoll  dusty  and  bronzed,  bearing  flowers  with  which  to  strew 
their  comrades'  graves.  A  silk  flag  was  placed  above  each  mound.  The 
day  was  as  mild  as  a  New  England  spring  day.  Just  before  sunset  a 
few  hundred  Americans  gathered  in  a  circle  around  Battery  Knoll  in 
blue  and  brown  uniforms.  Among  the  soldiers  were  groups  of  Amer 
ican  ladies,  and  brown-faced  natives  peering  curiously  at  the  unwonted 
spectacle  from  points  near  by.  The  guns  of  the  monitor  Monaduock, 
bombarding  Paranaque,  boomed  a  significant  reminder  of  the  nearness 
of  war.  Just  as  the  Sixth  artillery  band  began  a  dirge,  the  thunder  of 
the  Monadnock's  guns  ceased,  while  taps  sounded  from  the  bugle. 

Colonel  Charles  Denby,  of  the  United  States  Philippine  commission, 
presided  at  the  exercises.  He  spoke  briefly  of  the  peculiar  solemnity  of 
the  day  to  Manila.  The  chaplain  of  the  British  cruiser  Powerful 
offered  up  an  invocation.  Chaplain  Pierce,  of  the  Twenty-third  infantry, 
and  Chaplain  Cressey,  of  the  Minnesota  volunteers,  delivered  orations, 
and  the  soldiers  sang  appropriate  hymns.  After  taps  had  been  sounded, 
soldiers  took  the  flags  from  the  graves  to  send  to  relatives  of  the  dead. 

Similar  services  were  held  over  the  dead  in  the  Paco  cemetery. 
Colonel  Denby  was  the  orator  on  this  occasion.  The  graves  were  decor 
ated  with  a  vast  number  of  flowers. 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  401 

High  mass  for  the  dead  of  the  Roman  Catholic  communion  was  cele 
brated  at  the  Paco  cemetery  in  the  morning.  Orations  were  delivered 
by  Fathers  McKinnon  and  McQuade  and  Chaplain  Stevenson  of  the 
Idaho  regiment,  a  Methodist,  and  Peter  McQueen,  a  Congregational 
clergyman  of  Boston. 

Most  of  the  business  places  in  Manila  were  closed  in  observance  of 
the  day.  The  American  and  many  foreign  flags  were  displayed  at  half- 
mast.  The  graves  of  soldiers  and  sailors  buried  at  Cavite  and  Iloilo 
were  also  decorated. 

Battle  Near  Manila. 

General  Hall's  column,  consisting  of  a  part  of  the  Fourth  cavalry, 
the  Oregon  and  Wyoming  volunteers,  the  Ninth  infantry,  and  guns  of 
the  First  and  Sixth  artillery,  crossed  the  San  Mateo  river  early  in  the 
morning  of  June  3,  and  about  noon  easily  repulsed  a  large  band  of 
Filipinos  about  twelve  miles  east  of  Manila,  between  Mariquina  and 
Antipolo. 

A  running  fight  was  in  progress  all  the  afternoon.  A  Filipino  out 
post  first  attacked  a  few  American  scouts,  whereupon  the  Fourth  cav 
alry  formed  a  long  skirmish  line  and  easily  drove  the  insurgents  into 
the  hills.  Then  the  Oregon  regiment  moved  across  a  wet,  soggy  rice 
field,  in  extended  order,  toward  the  hills,  where  it  was  believed  a  large 
force  of  the  enemy  had.  concentrated.  WThen  the  Oregonians  were  within 
about  a  mile  of  the  position  the  Filipinos  opened  a  heavy  fire,  the 
Americans  replying  and  pressing  forward  more  rapidly. 

After  a  few  volleys  the  insurgents  were  seen  scattering  over  the 
crest  of  the  hills  in  every  direction,  and  their  panic  was  increased  when 
the  artillery  opened  upon  them  and  the  shells  began  to  explode  all 
around  them,  undoubtedly  causing  great  loss  of  life.  The  bombard 
ment  by  the  batteries  and  the  musketry  was  maintained  for  nearly  half 
an  hour,  after  which  not  a  Filipino  could  be  seen  on  the  hills  and  not 
a  shot  came  from  the  position. 

The  heat  was  intense,  and  the  troops  suffered  greatly,  but  they  con 
tinued  on  the  trail  taken  by  the  fleeing  enemy  in  the  hope  of  driving 
them  toward  the  lake. 

Colonel  WTholley,  with  two  battalions  of  the  First  Washington  regi 
ment,  a  battalion  of  the  Twelfth  infantry,  two  guns  of  Scott's  battery 
and  a  party  of  scouts  under  Major  Jeisenberger  left  San  Pedro  Macati, 


402  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

and,  after  fording  the  river  Pasig,  advanced  northeast  upon  Oainta, 
while  General  Hall  approached  the  town  from  the  opposite  direction, 
the  gunboats  Napidan,  Covadonga  and  Ceste  co-operating  in  the  river. 
This  important  movement  was  kept  so  secret  that  the  public  thought 
the  plan  was  to  send  General  Ovenshine's  lines  forward  against  the  in 
surgents,  who  are  intrenched  south  of  the  city. 

Found  Taytay  Deserted. 

General  Hall's  column,  in  the  movement  upon  the  Morong  penin 
sula,  completed  a  circuit  of  twenty  miles  over  rough  and  mountainous 
country,  having  two  engagements  with  the  insurgents,  one  of  them 
severe,  and  keeping  up  an  almost  constant  fire  against  scattered  bands 
of  rebels  for  nearly  twenty-four  hours  from  four  o'clock  Saturday  morn 
ing,  when  the  column  left  the  pumping  station. 

The  Filipinos  wrere  driven  in  every  direction  and  the  country  through 
which  General  Hall  passed  was  pretty  thoroughly  cleared.  At  ten 
o'clock  the  column  reached  a  point  a  few  miles  from  Taytay,  wrhere 
General  Hall  was  met  by  General  Lawton,  who  had  already  entered 
the  town  and  found  it  deserted. 

General  Hall's  objective  point  was  Antipolo,  ten  miles  off,  and  there 
was  desultory  firing  all  along  the  line  of  march.  The  gunboats  could 
be  heard  shelling  the  hills  in  advance  of  the  column. 

The  column,  after  driving  the  rebels  from  the  foothills  near  Maria 
Chino,  about  noon  yesterday,  with  a  loss  of  but  two  or  three  slightly 
wounded,  proceeded  with  all  possible  haste  toward  Laguna  de  Bay,  the 
Fourth  cavalry  in  the  lead,  the  Oregon  regiment  next  and  the  Ninth 
infantry  last. 

At  five  o'clock  those  three  regiments  fought  their  second  battle  of 
the  day,  and  it  resulted,  like  the  first,  in  the  complete  rout  of  a  large 
Filipino  force  located  in  the  mountains  and  having  every  advantage 
of  position.  In  this  fight  the  American  loss  was  four  killed — three  of 
the  Fourth  cavalry  and  one  Oregonian — and  about  fifteen  wounded. 
The  Filipino  loss  could  not  be  ascertained,  but  the  terrific  fire  which 
the  Americans  poured  into  them  for  half  an  hour  must  have  inflicted 
severe  punishment.  In  this  engagement  our  troops  made  one  of  the 
most  gallant  charges  of  the  war,  and  the  enemy  was  forced  to  flee  in 
the  greatest  disorder. 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  403 

It  was  the  intention  to  press  on  to  Antipole,  but  this  was  found 
impossible,  owing  to  the  two  fights  and  the  constant  marching  for  more 
than  twelve  hours,  with  nothing  to  eat  since  morning  and  no  supply 
train  in  sight.  The  troops,  moreover,  suffered  from  the  intense  heat, 
many  being  prostrated  and  all  greatly  exhausted.  Consequently  they 
bivouacked  for  the  night  on  the  second  battlefield. 

Terrific  Hail  of  Bullets. 

The  cavalry,  the  Oregonians  and  two  companies  of  the  Ninth  in 
fantry  had  just  crossed  a  small  creek  and  entered  upon  a  sunken  road, 
from  which  they  were  emerging  upon  a  small  valley,  surrounded  on  all 
sides  by  high  and  heavily  wooded  hills,  when  the  rebels,  concealed  in 
the  mountains  on  the  three  sides  of  the  plain,  opened  a  hot  fire  and 
sent  showers  of  bullets  into  the  ranks  of  the  Americans.  The  latter 
deployed  immediately  in  three  directions. 

Then  followed  a  charge  across  the  rice  fields  and  ditches  and  up 
the  hillsides,  from  which  the  shots  came  all  the  time  pouring  in  a 
terrific  hail,  while  the  air  resounded  with  the  constant  rattle  of 
musketry. 

The  cavalry,  being  in  front,  suffered  the  severest  loss  when  the 
attack  opened,  two  of  their  killed  being  sergeants  and  the  other  a 
private.  The  Oregonian  killed  was  a  private. 

The  natives  were  unable  to  stand  the  vigorous  firing  of  the  Amer 
icans  long,  and  at  the  first  sign  of  their  wavering  the  cavalry,  Ore 
gonians  and  Ninth  infantrymen  broke  into  wild  cheers  and  charged 
still  faster  up  the  hillside,  pouring  in  volley  after  volley,  until  the 
enemy  left  the  places  where  they  were  partially  concealed  by  the 
thicket,  fled  over  the  summit  in  the  wildest  confusion  and  disappeared 
in  the  surrounding  valleys. 

After  the  fight  was  over  the  firing  was  continued  by  the  Americans 
for  more  than  an  hour  in  clearing  out  the  bush  and  driving  away  strag 
gling  Filipinos. 

The  troops,  after  camping  for  the  night  on  the  battlefield,  started 
early  the  following  morning  for  Antipole,  where  it  was  expected  a 
strong  resistance  would  be  made.  Antipole  is  a  place  far  up  in  the 
mountains  which  the  Spaniards  had  said  the  Americans  could  never 
capture.  It  has  cost  Spain  the  lives  of  three  hundred  troops. 


404  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

The  progress  of  the  column  was  considerably  delayed  while  passing 
up  the  steep  mountain  grade  by  a  small  band  of  insurgents,  but  these 
were  effectually  routed  by  the  Fourth  cavalry,  which  was  in  advance, 
and  the  troops  reached  Antipolo  in  a  few  hours. 

Our  lines  were  immediately  thrown  around  on  three  sides  of  the 
town,  and  then  the  final  advance  was  made.  But  it  was  found  unneces 
sary  to  fire  a  shot.  Not  a  rebel  was  visible,  and  the  town  was  entirely 
abandoned. 

Hall's  Advance  is  Delayed. 

When  General  Hall  reached  the  top  of  the  mountain  beyond  An 
tipolo  his  command  could  plainly  see  many  natives,  evidently  in 
surgents,  moving  rapidly  in  single  file  across  the  valley  toward  the 
northeast.  The  difficulty  and  delay  in  getting  his  wagon  train  across 
the  mountain  prevented  General  Hall  from  moving  forward  that  day. 
He  camped  at  Teresa  Sunday  night  in  consequence  of  this  delay.  That 
town  was  fully  occupied  by  natives,  who  professed  to  be  friendly  to  the 
Americans. 

The  march  next  morning  was  delayed  until  the  heat  of  the  sun  be 
came  terrific,  and  the  troops  in  consequence  suffered  greatly.  When 
the  advance  over  nine  miles  of  mountain  road  began  the  country  ap 
peared  deserted,  and  throughout  the  three  hours  the  brigade  was  on 
the  road  not  a  single  shot  was  fired  and  not  an  insurgent  was  seen.  The 
suffering  of  the  troops  was  pitiable;  many  were  overcome  by  the  heat 
and  dropped  out  of  the  ranks  before  Morong  was  reached. 

In  the  meantime  Colonel  Treumann,  with  the  North  Dakota  volun 
teers  and  one  battalion  of  the  Twelfth  infantry,  was  advancing  on  the 
other  side  of  the  peninsula  for  the  purpose  of  trapping  the  insurgents 
and  capturing  the  shore  battery  which  was  posted  there.  However, 
his  movement  frightened  the  insurgents  away  on  Sunday,  they  retreat 
ing  northward,  evidently  being  those  who  were  seen  by  General  Hall 
from  the  mountain  top  making  their  way  across  the  valley  below.  Their 
shore  battery  of  two  guns  was  also  successfully  carried  away  on  carts. 
The  natives  at  Binangonan  told  the  Americans  Monday  that  armed  in 
surgents  to  the  number  of  two  hundred  had  retreated  to  San  Mateo, 
north  of  Mariquina. 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  405 

Sick  and  Wounded  Exposed  in  Storm. 

Colonel  Wholly  and  the  Washington  regiment  returned  by  water 
from  Morong  to  Pasig  Monday,  but  were  overtaken  on  Laguna  de  Bay 
by  a  torrential  storm  and  were  compelled  to  remain  on  their  cascoes  all 
night  exposed  to  a  cold  rain,  which  caused  much  distress  to  their  sick 
and  wounded.  All  the  men  of  this  command  disembarked  safely  at 
Pasig,  June  G. 

When  General  Hall  and  Colonel  Treumann  joined  in  the  Morong  ex 
pedition  their  whole  object  was  to  trap  the  insurgents  on  the  small  pen 
insula.  They  failed  in  this  purpose,  but  the  insurgents  were  driven 
northward  from  a  large  district  around  Morong,  Antipole  and  Taytay. 
The  American  losses  in  the  expedition  were  seven  killed  and  twelve 
wounded.  The  insurgent  loss  is  unknown,  though  the  Washington  regi 
ment  found  many  dead  natives  at  Morong.  Hall's  brigade  found  the 
bodies  of  four  dead  insurgents  north  of  Antipolo. 

Native  Army  Flees. 

An  American  force  four  thousand  five  hundred  strong,  in  a  brilliant 
advance  through  jungle  and  morass,  cleared  the  country  from  San 
Pedro  Macati  south  to  Paranaque,  between  the  bay  of  Manila  and  Bay 
lake,  of  insurgents  on  June  10. 

Fierce  fighting  marked  the  movement,  the  United  States  forces 
losing  two  officers  killed  and  twenty-one  soldiers  wounded.  In  one 
engagement  the  natives  left  fifty  dead  behind  them  when  they  fled  for 
cover.  Many  wounded  Filipinos  were  picked  up  by  the  Americans  and 
given  medical  attention. 

The  overpowering  heat  made  the  day's  work  more  difficult,  fully 
forty  per  cent,  of  the  force  being  exhausted  when  a  halt  was  called  at 
noon.  Many  prostrations  were  reported.  Four  American  warships, 
including  the  monitor  Monadnock,  shelled  Paranaque,  driving  the  in 
surgents  out. 

The  movement  took  the  natives  by  surprise,  the  American  column 
leaving  at  daybreak  and  pressing  forward  with  all  possible  haste  dur 
ing  the  early  hours  of  the  day.  Generals  Lawton,  Wheaton  and  Oven- 
shine  commanded  the  United  States  forces,  which  by  noon  were  within 
a  few  miles  of  Paranaque,  their  objective  point. 


406  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

Natives  Shoot  from  the  Jungle. 

General  Lawton's  force  consisted  of  two  battalions  each  of  the 
Twenty-first  and  Ninth  infantry,  six  companies  of  the  Colorado  volun 
teers  and  a  detachment  of  artillery.  The  Nevada  cavalry  was  under 
General  Wheaton  and  the  Thirteenth  and  Fourteenth  infantry,  the 
Fourth  cavalry  and  a  detachment  of  light  artillery  were  under  General 
Ovenshine.  It  was  scarcely  dawn  wrhen  the  troops  in  a  long,  silent 
procession  wound  up  the  hillside  behind  the  American  trenches  and 
formed  a  skirmish  line.  Concealed  in  the  jungle,  the  advance  insurgent 
outposts  fired  a  few  shots  before  being  seen.  The  opposing  forces  occu 
pied  two  ranges  of  crescent-shaped  hills. 

General  Wheaton's  advance  over  barren  country  was  slow  and  ac 
companied  with  great  suffering  to  the  men.  The  land  traversed  was 
high  and  hilly,  devoid  of  vegetation,  and  the  blazing  sun  made  the 
sandy  soil  terrible  to  march  over.  Besides,  the  insurgents  constantly 
harassed  the  soldiers  from  trenches  located  on  the  crests  of  the  hills, 
from  which  they  fired  on  the  Americans  and  inflicted  considerable  loss. 

The  Colorado  volunteers  led  the  advance  of  General  Wheaton's 
brigade.  Their  march  was  a  constant  succession  of  gallant  charges  up 
the  hillsides  in  the  face  of  a  galling  fire,  only  to  find  each  time  that  the 
insurgents  had  retreated  to  the  next  hilltop  before  the  Colorado  men 
reached  them.  These  tactics  were  repeated  time  and  again. 

Filipinos  Play  a  Clever  Trick, 

In  one  instance  the  Filipinos  resorted  to  a  clever  deception.  The 
Americans  wrere  lured  into  the  trap,  and  as  a  consequence  were  sub 
jected  to  a  severe  cross-fire  for  a  time.  The  insurgents  had  placed  a  lot 
of  damp  straw  in  what  the  Americans  supposed  was  a  trench  along 
one  of  the  hilltops.  The  straw  was  set  on  fire  and  the  thin  line  of 
smoke  fooled  the  Americans  into  thinking  that  the  trench  was  full  of 
Filipinos  and  that  the  smoke  came  from  their  rifles.  The  Americans 
made  a  dash  for  the  supposed  trench  and  poured  volley  after  volley 
into  the  position.  In  the  meantime  the  Filipinos,  hidden  in  another 
trench,  were  subjecting  the  Americans  to  a  galling  fire.  When  the 
Americans  discovered  the  hoax  and  started  for  the  trench  in  which  the 
insurgents  were  hidden,  the  Filipinos  retreated  in  safety. 

During  the  advance  before  the  conjunction  of  the  two  brigades  many 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  407 

insurgents  succeeded  in  passing  through  the  American  lines.  They  sub 
sequently  attacked  the  stragglers  and  the  signal  corps  in  the  rear  of  the 
general  advance  and  caused  much  annoyance. 

The  Fourteenth  infantry,  of  General  Ovenshine's  brigade,  met  with 
strong  opposition  from  a  band  of  Filipinos  which  was  in  a  large  and 
strongly  constructed  trench.  The  Americans  were  repulsed  in  their 
first  and  second  attempts  to  capture  this  trench,  but  the  third  day  they 
dashed  up  to  the  breastwork  and  gained  possession  of  it,  but  most  of 
the  insurgents  succeeded  in  making  their  escape. 

The  most  exciting  incident  of  the  day  was  the  flank  attack  upon 
General  Wheaton's  troops.  The  Americans  were  approaching  Manila 
bay  about  a  half  mile  south  of  Las  Pinas  for  the  purpose  of  completing 
the  semicircle  inclosing  Las  Pinas  and  Paranaque.  General  Lawton 
and  General  Wheaton,  with  their  respective  staffs,  were  in  advance.  In 
the  following  column  were  a  troop  of  Fourth  cavalry,  the  Colorado  vol 
unteers  and  the  Ninth  infantry.  On  approaching  Zapote  river  the  ad 
vance  guard  met  with  a  sudden  and  fierce  fire  from  across  the  stream. 
The  Colorado  men  hurriedly  formed  a  skirmish  line  along  the  bank  of 
the  river.  While  attention  was  thus  directed  to  the  force  across  the 
river,  the  American  officers  were  amazed  to  observe  that  the  insurgents 
had  thrown  out  a  long  skirmish  line  six  hundred  yards  to  the  left.  The 
Fillipinos  were  advancing  across  an  open  field  toward  the  American 
lines.  A  battalion  of  the  Ninth  infantry  deployed  and  advanced  in 
skirmish  order  toward  the  Filipinos,  who  were  thrown  out  in  the  same 
formation.  As  soon  as  the  American  line  began  its  advance  the  in 
surgents  opened  with  a  fierce  fire.  The  American  line  was  between 
two  fires,  because  all  this  time  the  rebels  across  the  river  were  keeping 
up  an  incessant  firing  upon  our  troops.  Two  guns  from  the  artillery 
were  hurried  out.  They  began  to  shell  the  insurgent  lines,  and  the 
Filipinos  who  had  made  the  flank  attack  retreated.  They  ran  toward 
the  lake,  thus  escaping  from  the  semicircle  of  American  troops  which 
had  been  drawn  around  Las  Pinas  and  Paranaque,  and  also  keeping 
in  a  position  where  they  would  be  able  to  attack  the  Americans  from 
the  rear. 

Troops  Bivouac  in  a  Storm. 

The  river  opposed  further  advance  and  the  troops  bivouacked  there 
Saturday  night,  sleeping  on  their  arms  in  an  open  field.  During  the 


408  CONTINUATION  OF  THE 

night  a  fearful  rainstorm  came  up.  The  Americans  were  shelterless. 
All  night  long  the  insurgent  bugles  could  be  heard  in  Las  Pinas.  Those 
shrill  blasts  marked  the  departure  of  the  Filipinos  from  the  village 
before  the  only  avenue  of  retreat  was  cut  off.  A  big  band  of  insurgents 
in  the  rear  of  the  American  lines  began  a  derisive  yelling  about  mid 
night.  Frequently  above  the  other  din  could  be  heard  the  shouts  of 
"Viva  los  republica  Filipina!"  ("Hurrah  for  the  Filipino  republic!") 

Early  the  following  morning  the  troops  effected  a  crossing  over  the 
Zapote  river  and  marched  into  Las  Pinas.  Hundreds  of  the  inhabi 
tants  were  found  there  peaceably  attending  to  their  affairs,  and  all 
professedly  friendly  to  the  Americans.  There  were  scores  of  young 
men  of  soldier  age  but  in  civilian  dress  who  watched  in  silence  the 
Americans  enter  the  town.  They  offered  no  resistance,  and  being 
apparently  friendly  were  not  molested.  The  Monadnock  assisted  the 
soldiers  by  shelling  Paranaque  before  the  troops  entered  the  village. 

A  native  priest  said  that  the  Filipino  troops,  numbering  two  thou 
sand,  commanded  by  General  Norils,  had  withdrawn  toward  Bacoor 
the  day  and  evening  before.  A  scouting  party  advanced  to  Paranaque 
and  found  the  same  state  of  affairs  existing  there.  In  that  village  were 
hundreds  of  men  prof essing.  themselves  friendly  to  the  Americans  and 
declaring  that  they  were  noncombatants.  The  insurgents  had  con 
structed  magnificent  earthworks  at  Paranaque,  but  these  were  aban 
doned.  They  were  afraid  that  the  Americans  would  surround  them 
and  starve  them  out,  so  they  made  no  stand  there. 

General  Luna  Assassinated. 

The  relations  between  Aguinaldo  and  General  Luna  had  been 
strained  to  the  breaking  point  because  of  Luna's  attempts  to  assume 
control  of  affairs,  and  the  final  rupture  was  forced  by  Aguinaldo 
issuing  secret  orders  to  the  provincial  governments.  Luna  thereupon 
demanded  from  his  chief  copies  of  the  documents.  He  received  the 
curt  reply  that  Luna  was  General  of  the  army,  and  that  the  civil 
government  did  not  concern  him.  Luna,  on  opening  the  reply  at  his 
headquarters  in  the  presence  of  his  officers,  exclaimed,  hotly:  "He 
will  be  dead  to-morrow." 

One  officer,  who  was  friendly  to  Aguinaldo,  hastened  to  warn  him, 
and  Aguinaldo  called  together  twenty  trusted  soldiers,  fellow-towns 
men  of  his,  and  stationed  them  around  his  house,  with  instructions  to 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  400 

kill  any  one  attempting  to  enter,  regardless  of  rank.    This  was  on  the 
5th  of  June. 

Luna  appeared  the  next  day  and  saw  Aguinaldo  at  the  window. 
A  member  of  the  guard  said:  "Aguinaldo  has  gone  to  inspect  the 
troops."  Luna  then  exclaimed,  "You  are  a  liar,"  drew  his  revolver, 
struck  the  guard  and  tried  to  force  an  entrance  into  the  house.  Before 
he  could  use  his  revolver  one  of  the  guards  bayoneted  him,  another 
shot  him  in  the  back  and  others  stabbed  him.  In  all  he  had  twenty 
wounds.  Luna's  aid-de-camp  was  killed  in  the  same  way. 

Death  of  Captain  Nichols. 

Captain  ITenry  Nichols,  the  commander  of  the  United  States 
monitor  Monadnock,  died  from  sunstroke  on  Saturday,  June  10,  and 
was  buried  at  Cavite  the  next  day  with  appropriate  naval  ceremonies. 
The  officers  of  the  fleet  were  present,  and  the  flags  on  all  the  vessels 
were  half-masted. 

The  sudden  death  of  Captain  Nichols  was  particularly  sad,  because 
it  occurred  just  at  the  moment  when  the  result  for  which  he  had  hoped 
and  worked  for  months  was  about  to  be  realized — namely,  the  capture 
of  Parauaque  and  its  occupation  by  the  American  forces. 

The  Monadnock  has  been  lying  off  Paranaque  for  two  months  past, 
under  fire  from  the  rebels  almost  daily.  The  heat  here  has  been  in 
tense  and  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Monadnock  suffered  greatly.  The 
conimander-iu-chief  offered  to  retire  the  Monadnock  from  this  trying 
duty  and  replace  her  by  another  ship,  but  Captain  Nichols  preferred 
to  remain,  declaring  that  he  did  not  want  to  leave  his  post  until 
Paranaque  fell  and  the  coast  from  there  to  Cavite  was  cleared  of  rebels. 
The  heat  on  Saturday  was  most  severe  and  the  monitor  was  engaged 
all  day  in  shelling  the  trenches  at  Paranaque  and  the  rebels  fleeing 
south  through  Las  Pinas,  and  also  watching  the  American  troops  clos 
ing  in  upon  the  towns. 

Captain  Nichols  was  overcome  by  the  heat  at  noon  and  retired  to 
his  cabin,  where  he  received  frequent  reports  of  the  operations  and 
gave  directions  for  several  hours.  He  became  much  worse  at  3  o'clock, 
lost  consciousness  and  expired  at  5  in  the  afternoon.  Several  hours 
before  his  death  he  expressed  gratification  at  the  way  events  were  pro 
gressing,  remarking  to  an  officer: 

"We  have  got  the  rebels  there  at  last." 


410  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

Many  Americans  Killed. 

One  of  the  most  vicious  attacks  from  the  insurgents  during  the 
entire  campaign  was  made  at  the  Zapote  river  in  the  province  of  Cavite 
on  Tuesday,  June  13.  Almost  to  the  day  a  year  previous  the  insurgents 
in  this  province  fought  the  greatest  engagement  of  the  Spanish-Fili 
pino  war  at  the  same  place,  defeating  a  strong  force  of  Spaniards, 
which  had  been  sent  from  Manila  against  them.  Their  successful 
defense  of  the  bridge  at  that  time  doubtless  inspired  them  with  greater 
courage  than  they  otherwise  would  have  shown.  The  insurgents  of 
Cavite  province  are  the  most  warlike  of  any  in  the  island  of  Luzon. 
This  is  the  province  of  Aguinaldo,  and  the  men  who  were  met  and 
defeated  by  General  Lawton's  troops  were  those  who  did  the  severest 
fighting  against  the  Spaniards  under  the  direction  of  Aguinaldo  and 
his  immediate  lieutenants. 

Early  Tuesday  morning  a  battalion  of  the  Fourteenth  infantry, 
which  was  doing  outpost  duty,  was  fired  on  from  the  bamboo  thickets 
in  its  front.  Thereupon  Lieutenant  Donovan  led  150  men  from  com 
panies  F  and  I  of  the  Twenty-first  infantry  to  make  an  armed  recon- 
noissance  among  the  river  bayous  to  locate  the  enemy.  A  native  was 
found  who  volunteered  to  conduct  the  Americans  along  a  practicable 
passage  through  the  marshes.  The  Americans  were  formed  in  a  long 
column,  and  advanced  along  a  narrow  strip  of  land  lying  next  to  Manila 
bay,  and  in  this  march  they  passed  far  beyond  the  insurgent  trenches  at 
the  Zapote  river.  Then  they  struck  inland,  crossing  dikes  and  broad 
ditches,  and  keeping  at  all  times  a  sharp  lookout  for  the  enemy. 

Americans  Nearly  Overwhelmed. 

Suddenly  they  stumbled  on  the  insurgents'  flank,  and  straightway 
the  enemy  poured  a  terrific  fire  into  them,  which  created  consternation. 
The  center  of  the  American  column  broke  under  this  attack  and  re 
treated.  The  two  ends  of  the  column,  however,  stuck  to  their  positions 
and  fought  manfully  against  an  overwhelming  force.  The  insurgents 
rushed  through  the  broken  center,  cutting  off  the  American  soldiers 
at  the  right  end  of  the  column  from  the  rest  of  the  troops.  Thus 
hemmed  in  by  enemies  on  all  sides,  except  in  the  direction  of  the  bay, 
the  soldiers  retreated  to  the  beach,  where  they  made  a  stand  and  fought 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  411 

for  their  lives.  Eighteen  of  the  American  party  were  wounded  under 
this  attack,  including  Lieutenants  Donovan  and  Connolly,  and  two  were 
killed,  their  bodies  being  left  on  the  field.  One  of  those  killed  was 
the  native  guide.  The  condition  of  the  remnant,  caught  and  sur 
rounded  by  the  natives,  would  have  been  desperate  had  it  not  been 
for  the  warships  in  the  bay.  The  commanders  of  the  monitor  Monad- 
nock  and  the  gunboat  Helena  sent  100  sailors  ashore  in  three  boats 
with  a  Colt's  rapid-fire  gun,  and  these,  forming  with  the  soldiers, 
strongly  re-enforced  them.  Lieutenant  Connolly,  who  had  been 
wounded,  was  conveyed  to  a  ship  in  the  bay. 

The  sailors,  on  landing  and  forming  for  action,  directed  an  enfilad 
ing  fire  on  the  strong  line  of  earthworks  guarding  the  passage  of  the 
Zapote  river.  General  Lawton  hurried  forward  a  battalion  of  the  Ninth 
infantry  to  the  assistance  of  the  soliders  and  sailors  in  their  fight.  It 
took  position  along  a  little  ridge  on  the  beach.  The  Monadnock, 
Helena,  Manila,  Albay  and  Callao  began  shelling  the  beach,  and  these 
combined  forces  of  army  and  navy  soon  drove  the  insurgents  back  into 
the  jungle. 

Attack  on  the  River  Defenses. 

About  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  an  advance  of  the  left  of  General 
Lawton's  forces  was  ordered.  The  Twelfth  and  Fourteenth  infantry, 
with  the  mountain  battery  under  Lieutenant  Kenly,  attacked  the  in 
surgents  who  were  entrenched  beyond  the  river.  The  enemy  fought 
with  courage  and  intelligence,  holding  their  fire  until  the  Americans 
had  come  within  close  range  and  then  pouring  forth  terrific  volleys. 
The  Americans  advanced,  as  usual,  by  short  rushes,  doing  splendid 
work  and  never  faltering  in  the  face  of  the  withering  fire.  They 
charged  across  the  open  country  and  over  the  bridge  into  the  trenches 
of  the  enemy,  which  until  then  had  been  swept  by  the  guns  of  the 
warships.  The  insurgents  were  driven  out  of  the  trenches  almost  at 
the  muzzles  of  the  Americans'  guns.  Kenlv's  batterv  had  advanced  to 

O  v  u 

the  very  river  bank,  losing  men  constantly.  After  the  assault  a  cor 
respondent  counted  twenty  dead  insurgents  in  the  trenches,  and  seven 
wounded  Filipinos  were  captured  here. 

The  bridge  was  carried  at  3:15  o'clock,  after -several  hours  of  close- 
range  fighting.  Many  recruits,  who  had  recently  joined  the  ranks  of  the 


412  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

regulars,  saw  their  first  fight  in  this  encounter,  and  showed  their  valor, 
never  flinching  even  in  the  hottest  part  of  the  engagement. 

The  second  fight  began  at  5:20  o'clock  near  Bacoor  and  quickly 
developed  to  serious  proportions.  The  Ninth  infantry  had  moved  from 
the  beach  along  a  system  of  dykes  until  it  came  to  a  road  bordered 
by  a  thick  jungle  one  mile  from  Bacoor  and  on  the  right  of  our  lines. 
The  enemy  suddenly  opened  a  heavy  cross  fire  from  the  woods  to  the 
left.  Immediately  two  guns  of  the  Sixth  artillery  were  sent  forward 
and  the  Fourteenth  and  Twenty-first  infantry  advanced  at  double 
quick,  coming  to  the  rescue  of  the  Ninth  in  a  long  skirmish  line,  soon 
driving  the  insurgents  further  back  into  the  woods. 

Work  of  the  Regulars. 

By  this  desperate  battle  the  insurgents  lost  a  district  which  they 
believed  to  be  invulnerable  against  any  attack  of  their  enemies,  i't  hav 
ing  been  the  scene  of  many  former  victories  against  the  Spaniards. 
Aguiualdo  was  born  near  by  and  the  people  hold  him  in  superstitious 
reverence.  The  American  forces  engaged  were  all  regulars  of  the  Ninth, 
Twelfth,  Fourteenth  and  Twenty-first  infantry,  and  all  of  them  showed 
magnificent  valor.  The  sailors  who  were  landed  undoubtedly  saved 
the  detachment  on  the  beach  from  destruction  or  capture,  and  the 
hearty  co-operation  shown  by  these  and  by  the  men  at  the  guns  of  the 
warships  has  caused  the  soldiers  here  to  feel  the  warmest  gratitude  and 
affection  for  the  men  of  the  navy. 

The  official  report  of  the  American  losses  was  ten  killed  and  forty- 
one  wounded.  Of  the  4,000  Filipino  troops  engaged,  over  one-third 
were  killed,  wounded  or  captured,  and  those  who  escaped  were  demora 
lized  by  the  terrible  defeat.  Mam-  of  them  threw  their  rifles  into  the 
river  during  their  retreat,  and  sought  hiding  places  in  the  mountains. 

Insurgents  Driven  Back. 

The  Filipinos  made  an  attack,  on  the  American  outposts  at  San 
Fernando,  thirty-five  miles  north  of  Manila,  on  the  morning  of  June 
16.  Their  presence  near  the  American  lines  had  been  discovered  by 
accident  early  the  day  before. 

The  telegraph  operator  at  San  Fernando,  having  found  that  com- 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  413 

munieation  with  Manila  was  interrupted,  started  out  alone  southward 
to  discover  the  cause. 

He  soon  encountered  a  strong  force  of  insurgents,  who  fired  upon 
him.  Returning  to  San  Fernando,  the  operator  reported  the  presence 
of  the  enemy  to  General  Mac-Arthur,  who  immediately  prepared  for  the 
threatened  attack. 

At  5  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  insurgents,  who  had  formed  a  solid 
line  around  the  city  to  the  west,  north  and  south,  advanced,  in  skirmish 
formation,  to  the  attack,  intending  apparently  to  capture  the  city  by 
assault.  The  line  reached  from  the  railway  bridge  southward  to  Santa 
Tomas,  and  extended  around  to  the  west  and  north  for  several  miles. 
It  is  estimated  that  there  were  4,000  insurgents  in  the  assaulting  lines. 

The  fight  began  with  great  spirit  and  continued  for  three  hours. 
General  Funston's  brigade,  consisting  of  the  Twentieth  Kansas  volun 
teers  and  the  Montana  regiment,  and  General  Kale's  brigade,  the  Iowa 
volunteers  and  the  Seventeenth  infantry,  did  the  fighting. 

Two  companies  of  the  Kansas  volunteers  awaited  the  insurgents 
in  a  small  ravine  where  they  were  well  concealed  from  the  enemy. 
They  held  their  fire  until  the  insurgents  were  very  close,  and  then 
opened  upon  them  with  deadly  volleys  which  did  great  execution  in 
their  ranks. 

This  move  made  the  insurgents  more  cautious.  The  Iowa  and  Sev 
enteenth  infantry  came  up  on  the  double-quick  and  joined  in  the  battle 
and  inflicted  severe  punishment. 

The  insurgents  fought  desperately,  but  finally  were  driven  away 
beyond  the  trenches  about  the  city  which  they  had  thrown  up  in  the 
night.  At  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  General  MacArthur,  who  com 
manded  the  troops  engaged  in  the  defense,  telegraphed  to  General  Otis 
in  Manila  that  fifty  dead  insurgents  had  been  found  'and  buried  and 
that  other  dead  bodies  were  still  being  discovered.  The  American  loss 
was  one  killed  and  thirteen  wounded. 

A  Desperate  Battle. 

Members  of  the  First  battalion  of  the  Fourth  infantry  fought  for 
their  lives  on  June  19.  The  300  Americans  who  formed  Major  Bubb's 
command  found  themselves  almost  surrounded  by  1,000  Filipinos,  when 
fully  six  miles  from  re-enforcements.  In  order  to  make  the  annihila- 


414  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

tion  of  the  Americans  more  certain,  the  insurgent  commander  sent 
1,000  more  Filipinos  to  make  a  flank  movement  on  the  left  of  Major 
Bubb's  little  band. 

The  battle  began  at  noon  near  Perezdasmarinas,  about  six  miles 
south  of  Imus,  which  was  the  American  base.  Major  Bubb  with  the 
First  battalion  of  the  Fourth  infantry,  and  Lieutenant  Keeper  with  one 
piece  of  artillery,  had  been  sent  from  Imus  to  take  possession  of 
Perezdasmarinas. 

The  American  officers  had  received  reports  that  the  enemy  had 
deserted  the  village.  The  alcalde  of  the  town  came  to  Imus,  formally 
surrendered  and  urged  that  a  force  be  sent  to  prevent  the  insurgents 
from  looting  the  place.  As  Major  Bubb's  men  advanced  they  noticed 
that  the  houses  along  the  road  were  filled  with  amigos  (frieudlies),  who 
pretended  to  welcome  them. 

The  battalion  advanced  confidently  until  within  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  of  Perezdamarinas,  when  Major  Bubb  discovered  that  the  enemy 
was  paralleling  the  road  for  a  long  distance  on  both  sides  of  the  bat 
talion.  The  Americans  were  practically  surrounded.  When  they  had 
reached  a  place  in  the  roadway  sunk  beneath  the  rest  of  the  country  the 
insurgents  opened  fire.  Their  volleys  were  augmented  by  the  insur 
gents  hidden  in  the  houses  along  the  road,  who  poured  a  murderous  fire 
into  the  rear  of  our  troops. 

Major  Bubb's  men  immediately  went  into  action,  and,  while  engag 
ing  the  force  to  the  right  side  of  the  road,  another  equally  strong  force 
appeared  on  their  left.  They  received  with  cheers  the  news  that  they 
were  being  flanked,  and  a  part  of  the  battalion  turned  upon  the  enemy 
in  the  new  direction  and  met  the  attack  with  steady  volleys. 

The  fight  began  at  noon.  The  enemy's  fire  was  silenced  by  the 
Americans  in  an  hour.  Major  Bubb,  in  retiring,  discovered  that  he  had 
been  surrounded.  He  sent  skirmish  lines  which  crowded  the  Filipinos 
bnck  toward  Imus.  The  outflankers  were  under  a  fire  from  both  the 
right  and  the  left.  The  rear  guard  was  fighting  desperately  to  hold  the 
enemy's  rushes  in  check.  There  was  an  incessant  and  galling  fire  down 
the  main  road.  Men  were  falling  everywhere.  The  ambulance  was 
filled  with  the  wounded.  Carts  were  pressed  into  the  service,  loaded 
with  the  wounded  and  (?aad  and  dragged  by  prisoners  whom  our  troops 
had  captured. 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  415 

General  Wheaton  to  the  Rescue. 

At  3  o'clock  it  looked  as  if  nothing  could  save  the  battalion.  Our 
men  had  been  forced  to  leave  two  of  our  dead  behind.  At  4  they  had 
pressed  the  enemy  off  to  the  right,  and  were  at  last^  behind  them.  Fif 
teen  minutes  later  Captain  Hazard,  an  aid  of  General  Wheaton's, 
pushed  through  alone  with  the  news  that  Wheaton  was  coming  to  the 
relief.  The  men  cheered  wildly,  and  went  for  the  Filipinos  again. 

When  General  W^heaton  arrived  he  found  the  enemy,  1,000  strong, 
moving  to  intercept  the  road  which  runs  at  right  angles  to  that  leading 
to  Imus.  He  opened  with  shrapnel  and  mowed  dowrn  the  insurgents 
until  the  left  wing  of  our  troops  was  cleared  of  the  enemy.  Then  he 
advanced  rapidly,  and  at  4 :30  o'clock  had  the  enemy  in  full  rout. 

The  insurgents  fought  desperately.  Finally,  after  an  hour's  con 
stant  firing,  they  began  slowly  to  retreat.  The  Americans  followed  up 
their  advantage,  giving  the  Filipinos  fearful  punishment. 

General  Wheaton  made  the  following  statement : 

"I  am  glad  to  say  that  in  today's  reconnoissance  the  Fourth  infantry, 
who  held  back  2,000  insurgents  three  hours,  our  troops  acted  gallantly 
and  with  the  courage  and  coolness  of  veterans.  Major  Bubb,  the  com 
manding  officer,  and  every  other  officer  in  the  field,  should  receive  con 
gratulations  for  heroism.  The  manner  in  which  they  handled  a  handful 
of  men  against  an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy  was  a  movement 
which  averted  a  contemplated  attack  on  Imus  by  the  entire  Filipino 
army  in  Cavite  province." 

With  the  progress  of  war  in  the  Philippines  it  was  evident  that,  to 
enforce  the  authority  of  this  country,  a  much  larger  force  would  be 
needed.  Accordingly  the  president  issued  a  call  for  35,000  volunteers 
in  the  latter  part  of  June.  President  McKinley  consented  to  placing  an 
increased  army  in  the  Philippines.  It  was  estimated  that  General  Otis 
had  26,000  soldiers.  Orders  were  given  to  send  him  sufficient  regulars 
to  make  the  number  30,000.  The  President  authorized  him  to  enlist 
5,000  additional  volunteers  from  troops  whose  term  of  service  had  ex 
pired,  thus  bringing  his  force  to  35,000. 

State  Regiments  Not  to  be  Used. 

The  administration  decided  to  recruit  the  forces  instead  of  accepting 
volunteers  or  making  a  call  upon  the  various  states.  This  caused 


416  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

considerable  discussion.  Several  states  tendered  volunteer  regiments, 
some  being  composed  of  men  who  had  seen  service  in  Cuba  and  were 
thoroughly  drilled  and  disciplined,  with  good  records  on  the  files  of 
the  department.  Instead  of  accepting  these  men  the  war  department 
proceeded  to  recruit  according  to  the  lines  followed  by  the  regular 
army.  Recruiting  stations  were  opened,  and  in  an  incredibly  short 
time  the  necessary  recruits  were  secured,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
only  able-bodied,  single  men  were  accepted. 

The  importance  of  an  increased  army  in  the  Philippines  was  fully 
recognized.  It  was  estimated  that  about  twelve  per  cent  of  General 
Otis'  army  was  on  the  sick  list,  and  while  our  soldiers  experienced  no 
great  difficulty  in  driving  the  Filipinos  from  wThat  were  considered  their 
strongholds,  yet  General  Otis  did  not  have  enough  troops  to  properly 
garrison  the  towns  he  had  taken  from  time  to  time.  This  made  it  neces 
sary  to  recapture  important  points  again  and  again. 

Accordingly  the  administration  prepared  to  place  at  the  command 
of  General  Otis  sufficient  troops  to  garrison  and  hold  all  captured  points. 
It  wras  estimated  that  about  70,000  men  would  be  needed.  The  last  of 
these  troops  were  en  route  for  the  Philippines  by  the  15th  of  November, 
making  it  possible  for  the  American  forces  to  resume  active  operations 
at  the  close  of  the  rainy  season. 

Rain  Interposes  Obstacles. 

Our  troops  were  prevented  from  pushing  on  into  the  interior  of  the 
island  or  making  great  progress  by  the  protracted  rainfall,  a  typical 
peculiarity  of  the  climate  of  the  Philippines.  The  period  known  in 
that  part  of  the  tropics  as  the  "rainy  season"  lasts  from  June  to  Novem 
ber.  During  this  term,  when  the  moist  southwest  monsoon  is  prevailing, 
the  rains  are  frequent  and  abundant.  The  traveler  accustomed  to  wit 
nessing  what  are  known  in  temperate  zones  as  "heavy  rains"  can  have 
no  conception  of  the  copious  downpours  which  are  seen  in  tropical  and 
maritime  countries.  The  average  rainfall  at  Manila  is  from  75  to  120 
inches  annually,  most  of  the  rain  falling  within  a  half-year. 

The  effect  of  these  recurring  storms  is  serious,  and  as  the  rainfall  is 
heaviest  in  August  and  September  the  conditions  in  and  around  Manila 
become  serious.  The  rivers  and  small  streams  are  swollen  far  beyond 
their  normal  size  and  overflow  their  banks.  At  points  of  low  elevation 
the  ground  is  flooded  and  lakes  form  on  land  which  in  the  dry  season  is 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAK.  417 

under  cultivation.  This  periodical  formation  of  lakes,  while  it  causes 
losses  and  imposes  suffering  and  disaster,  has  the  effect  of  making  the 
soil  extremely  fertile. 

One  of  the  first  duties  incumbent  upon  the  American  officers  in  the 
Philippines  is,  therefore,  to  dispose  their  forces  at  points  where  exposure 
to  the  danger  from  floods  and  storms  will  be  least.  Heavier  rains  are 
expected  during  this  season,  and  there  must  be  taken  into  consideration 
the  extremely  violent  storms,  or  typhoons,  which  generally  accompany 
the  change  of  the  trade  winds  and  which  sweep  over  Luzon  with 
destructive  force. 

During  the  latter  part  of  July  the  war  department  issued  an  inter 
esting  statement  of  the  receipts  of  the  Philippine  Islands  during  the  first 
five  months  of  1899,  which  wras  as  follows:  Manila,  $1,779,217;  Iloilo, 
$168,912:  Cebu,  $99,597;  total,  $2,017,556.  The  war  department  an 
nounces  that  the  total  of  customs  receipts  at  the  port  of  Cebu  for  April 
was  $21,000,  and  for  the  mo«nth  of  May  $56,415. 

On  the  23d  of  July  the  government  made  the  largest  shipment  of  coin 
to  the  Philippines  so  far  as  bulk  is  concerned  since  the  outbreak  of  the 
war,  the  transport  Tartar  carrying  this  valuable  cargo.  It  weighed 
about  five  tons,  and  wras  carried  under  a  strong  guard  from  the  mint  to 
the  transport  dock  in  twTo  heavy  drays  and  a  wagon.  The  total  sum  was 
$1,300,000,  besides  nickels  and  pennies,  $100,000  being  silver,  whose 
weight  was  over  three  tons.  The  money  was  contained  in  fifty-three 
iron-bound  chests. 

General  MacArthur  Issues  New  Orders, 

All  natives  not  owning  property  were  driven  out  of  San  Fernando 
August  seventh  by  an  order  issued  by  General  MacArthur.  Many 
Filipinos  had  been  living  in  San  Fernando  for  weeks.  They  called 
themselves  amigos  and  had  established  small  stands  in  the  town  to 
trade  in  trinkets  and  fruits  with  the  American  soldiers.  In  accordance 
with  the  order  the  guards  formed  a  line  extending  across  the  entire  vil 
lage.  Then  they  began  the  march  which  swept  the  strange  Filipinos 
out  of  the  towrn.  It  was  accompanied  with  a  great  deal  of  excitement. 
Women  and  children  were  treated  as  the  men.  The  natives  were  com 
pelled  to  gather  up  such  of  their  possessions  as  they  could  and  flee 
before  the  soldiers.  Nor  did  the  work  stop  until  every  Filipino  who 


418  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR. 

came  within  the  meaning  of  the  general's  order  had  been  driven  beyond 
the  outposts. 

On  August  9th,  General  MacArthur  made  a  very  successful  move 
ment  with  the  troops  consisting  of  the  9th,  12th,  17th  and  parts  of  the 
22d  regiment  and  51st  Iowa.  This  movement  was  very  difficult  on 
account  of  mud  and  surface  water.  American  casualties  were  five 
killed  and  twenty-nine  wounded.  Estimated  insurgent  loss,  one  hun 
dred  killed,  three  hundred  wounded. 

During  the  engagement  the  troops  suffered  greatly  from  heat  and 
rain.  At  times  a  blistering  sun  beat  down  upon  the  troops.  Then, 
again,  they  would  be  marching  and  fighting  in  a  blinding  rain  storm. 
Suddenly  the  sun  would  come  out  again  with  its  fearful  heat.  Recon- 
noitering  parties  were  sent  out,  but  the  enemy  was  located  with  dif 
ficulty.  In  most  cases,  having  set  fire  to  the  towns  and  villages,  they 
fled.  The  mud  in  places  was  knee  deep  in  the  rice  fields  and  jungles, 
and  through  the  ditches  flowed  small  rivers  several  feet  deep.  This 
made  it  extremely  hard  for  the  American  troops  to  make  progress. 

The  presence  of  the  rainy  season  added  to  the  discomforts,  dangers 
and  difficulties  of  the  Americans.  In  a  climate  to  which  they  were 
unaccustomed,  exposed  to  intense  heat  and  drenching  rains,  without 
adequate  protection  or  food,  they  pursued  the  war  amidst  obstacles 
such  as  had  never  before  opposed  an  army.  On  September  20th  Gen 
eral  Otis  cabled  that  the  rainfall  during  the  two  preceding  days  had 
been  eight  and  one-fifth  inches,  and  during  the  preceding  twenty-four 
hours,  six  and  three-tenths  inches.  Amidst  such  conditions  it  is  not 
strange  that  the  progress  of  the  American  army  was  slow. 

While  an  occasional  skirmish  occurred  between  the  contending 
forces,  it  was  not  until  the  afternoon  of  September  28th  that  a  real 
engagement  took  place.  On  that  date  General  MacArthur  entered 
Porac  after  half  an  hour's  fighting.  The  American  loss  was  five  killed. 
The  insurgent  loss  is  not  known,  but  ten  dead  were  found.  The  enemy 
fled  northward.  When  the  Americans  entered  the  town  they  found  it 
practically  deserted.  The  attacking  party  moved  on  Porac  in  two  col 
umns.  The  9th  infantry,  with  two  guns,  from  Santa  Rita,  was  com 
manded  by  General  W^heeler,  and  the  36th  infantry,  under  Colonel  Bell, 
with  one  gun,  accompanied  General  MacArthur  from  San  Antonio. 

Both  columns  struck  the  town  at  9  o'clock  and  opened  a  brisk  fire, 
which  was  replied  to  by  the  enemy  for  half  an  hour.  Then  the  insur- 


CONTINUATION  OF  THE  WAR.  419 

gents  fled,  and  the  Americans  marched  over  their  trenches  and  took 
possession  of  the  place. 

Just  before  the  fight  Smith's  command,  at  Angeles,  made  a  demon 
stration  by  firing  artillery  up  the  railroad  track.  Liscuin  reported  one 
casualty  and  Bell  reported  four  men  of  his  regiment  wounded.  No  one 
in  the  artillery  was  injured. 

The  movement  against  Porac,  about  eight  miles  northwest  of  Ba- 
color,  in  Pampanga  province,  began  at  daybreak  that  morning,  and  was 
conducted  personally  by  General  MacArthur.  General  Wheeler,  with 
the  9th  regiment  and  a  battery,  advanced  by  two  roads,  while  General 
Wheaton,  commanding  the  12th  and  17th  regiments,  sought  to  block 
the  insurgents  from  retreating  to  the  north.  The  36th  regiment  accom 
panied  General  MacArthur.  Firing  was  begun  near  Angeles. 

The  movement  was  a  strategical  success  and  resulted  not  only  in  the 
possession  of  Porac,  but  in  the  clearing  of  several  miles  of  country 
thereabout.  The  two  columns — one  from  Santa  Rita  and  the  other 
from  San  Antonio — united  before  Porac,  according  to  programme, 
stretching  around  the  place  for  some  miles.  The  insurgents  are  esti 
mated  to  have  numbered  600  men.  The  captain  and  commissary  of 
Mascarno's  command  were  taken  prisoners. 

Aguinaldo  Again  Attempts  Diplomacy. 

Aguinaldo  tried  to  shift  his  difficulties  into  the  field  of  diplomacy. 
General  Alejandrino,  the  Filipino  envoy,  who,  when  asked,  "How  long 
can  the  Filipino  army  and  people  withstand  60,000  American  troops?" 
replied : 

'•Fighting  in  our  way  we  can  maintain  a  state  of  war  and  the  neces 
sity  for  a  large  army  of  occupation  indefinitely.  You  Americans  are 
holding  a  few  miles  around  Manila,  a  narrow  line  of  railroad  to  Angeles 
and  a  circle  of  country  around  San  Fernando.  But  you  are  ignorant 
of  the  resources  of  Luzon.  We  hold  the  immense,  rich,  productive  north 
ern  country  from  which  to  draw.  Our  people  contribute  the  money  and 
food  which  maintain  our  army,  and  this  is  done  at  a  minimum  of  cost. 

"It  is  an  interesting  question  what  the  cost  to  the  American  people 
is  of  maintaining  the  American  troops  in  the  Philippines.  We  do  not, 
of  course,  know  the  amount,  but  it  must  be  excessive.  We  perceive 
what  an  American  soldier  requires  in  this  climate.  On  the  other  hand, 
a  Filipino  exists  with  a  handful  of  rice  and  a  pair  of  linen  trousers.  We 


420  ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING. 

do  not  have  to  pay  our  soldiers,  and  can  practically  hold  up  their  wages 
as  long  as  we  desire.  Even  without  our  present  supply  of  arms  and 
ammunition  we  could  keep  your  army  occupied  for  years. 

"With  an  expense  that  grows  daily,  how  long  will  your  people  stand 
it?  The  Filipino  people  do  not  wish  to  continue  the  fighting.  We  have 
no  army  contractors.  We  have  no  business  men  making  profits  from 
the  maintenance  of  our  army.  There  is  nothing  in  it  for  us,  nor  are  our 
salaries  large  enough  to  keep  us  fighting  for  money  and  position." 

The  wily  Aguinaldo  hoped  by  the  above  answer  to  convince  General 
Otis  of  the  hopelessness  of  the  struggle  and  that  he  might  arouse  such 
vigorous  opposition  to  the  war  among  the  Americans  at  home  as  would 
force  the  withdrawal  of  the  troops  and  the  recognition  of  the  independ 
ence  of  his  people.  General  Otis  viewed  Aguinaldo's  action  as  an 
attempt  at  masquerading  and  treated  it  accordingly. 

Admiral  Dewey's  Home  Coming. 

During  the  progress  of  the  war  in  the  Philippines  as  related,  the 
whole  nation  was  preparing  to  greet  the  return  home  of  Admiral  Dewey 
with  a  welcome  never  before  accorded  any  hero,  naval  or  military. 
From  the  time  the  Olympia  was  sighted  at  Port  Said  until  she  was 
safely  anchored  at  Newr  York,  the  whole  nation  read  with  intense  in 
terest  every  detail  of  his  homeward  cruise  as  reported  through  the 
public  press. 

In  the  latter  part  of  May  Admiral  Dewey  sailed  for  home  via  Hong 
Kong  and  Suez  Canal.  While  in  Hong  Kong  he  remarked  that  after 
the  stifling  atmosphere  of  the  Philippines,  the  cool  breezes  of  the  con 
tinent  were  a  luxury.  He,  however,  declined  an  invitation  to  a  state 
dinner  given  in  his  honor  by  Gov.  Sir  Henry  Blake  on  the  ground  of  ill 
health.  While  admitting  his  right  to  decline  all  invitations,  yet  the 
British  community  would  have  been  better  pleased  had  he  seen  fit  to 
dine  with  the  Queen's  representative. 

The  Admiral  was  ever  thoughtful  of  his  men,  his  purpose  being  to 
gradually  accustom  them  to  the  cooler  climate  they  would  encounter  on 
their  arrival  home.  For  this  reason  he  made  frequent  and  extended 
stops  on  his  homeward  journey. 

Before  leaving  Hong  Kong  he  said:  "We  shall  take  our  time  be 
tween  Hong  Kong  and  Gibraltar,  but  from  Gibraltar  we'll  lay  a 
straight  course  for  home."  When  the  Olympia  steamed  out  of  the  har- 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING.  421 

bor  June  6th  she  passed  the  British  cruiser  Powerful;  the  band  of  the 
Olympia  played  the  British  national  anthem  and  gave  a  bugle  salute. 
There  was  no  firing.  The  Powerful  replied  with  a  similar  salute  and  her 
band  played  "Hail  Columbia." 

As  the  Olympia  passed  the  Italian  admiral's  ship  the  Olympiads  band 
played  the  Italian  national  anthem  and  gave  an  admiral's  salute,  which 
compliments  were  returned. 

Then  the  Olympiads  band  played  "Auld  Lang  Syne"  and  the  band  of 
the  Powerful  played  "Home,  Sweet  Home." 

The  next  stop  was  Singapore,  where  the  Admiral  surprised  the  Brit 
ish  officials  and  Consul  Pratt  by  arriving  ahead  of  time.  After  a  few 
days  spent  in  recuperating,  he  sailed  for  Ceylon,  from  there  to  Port 
Said,  where  elaborate  plans  had  been  made  to  meet  him  by  representa 
tives  of  this  government. 

At  Suez  the  Olympia  was  quarantined,  no  direct  communication 
with  the  shore  being  allowed.  As  a  result  no  one  was  permitted  to 
board  the  Olympia  at  Port  Said.  But  the  Admiral  thanked  Mr.  Broad- 
bent  for  information  cabled  him  June,  1898,  when  the  fleet  of  the  Span 
ish  admiral,  Camara,  arrived  at  Port  Said. 

At  Trieste  the  Admiral  Became  Reminiscent. 

The  Admiral  gave  the  author  some  interesting  reminiscences  of  his 
visit  there  in  18GT.  It  was  just  after  the  Austrian  admiral,  Tegetthoff, 
won  his  victory  over  the  Italians  under  Persano  near  the  island  of  Lissa, 
Dewey  being  at  the  time  executive  officer  of  the  frigate  Colorado.  He 
said  he  had  always  regarded  Farragut  and  Tegetthoff  as  the  two  great 
naval  commanders  of  that  day,  and  at  Cavite,  in  1898,  he  intended  at 
one  time  to  use  one  of  Tegetthoff's  methods  of  fighting  by  approaching 
the  Spanish  squadron  bow  on,  instead  of  steaming  past  with  broadsides 
bearing. 

The  Admiral  was  reading  Lieut.  Calkins'  account  of  the  battle  of 
Manila  Bay,  which  led  him  to  discuss  freely  some  events  of  that  battle. 
He  said  the  Spaniards  would  have  done  better  to  fight  at  Subig  bay, 
where  they  could  have  had  better  protection  from  the  shore  batteries. 
They  should  have  assembled  all  their  guns  at  Subig. 

Admiral  Montojo  rejected  Subig  bay,  however,  because  he  did  not 
wish  to  lose  his  crews  as  well  as  his  ships,  the  water  at  Subig  being 
very  deep.  Only  one  of  the  Spanish  captains  favored  making  a  defense 


422  ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING. 

at  Subig,  but  if  the  Spaniards  had  sent  all  their  heavy  guns  to  Isla 
Grande,  in  the  mouth  of  Subig  bay,  Admiral  Dewe}^  declared,  and  had 
maneuvered  their  ships  behind  that  protection  they  would  have  inflicted 
heavier  loss  upon  the  Americans. 

Leaving  Trieste  August  1st,  the  Olympia  went  to  Naples,  where  a 
short  stop  was  made.  The  next  stop  was  at  Leghorn,  where  he  found 
the  weather  so  oppressive  that  he  proceeded  to  Nice.  There  a  marked 
improvement  in  the  health  of  his  men  and  officers  became  noticeable. 
The  Admiral  was  greatly  pleased  by  the  compliment  paid  him  by  the 
French  commander-in-chief  in  saluting  his  flag  before  the  Olympia  had 
saluted  the  port — a  most  unusual  courtesy,  and  one  w^hich  was  accorded 
Admiral  Farragut  only  once,  when  he  entered  the  harbor  of  Cronstadt 
in  1867.  Leaving  Villefranche  he  made  his  next  stop  at  Gibraltar, 
where  the  conversation  turned  toward  the  question  of  the  speed  that 
he  could  make  on  his  way  home. 

"If  we  had  had  the  spare  propeller  blades  that  are  a  part  of  the 
ship's  outfit,"  he  said  to  the  author,  "I  would  have  had  her  dry-docked 
and  put  in  order,  but  the  spare  blades  were  left  in  the  Mare  Island  navy 
yard,  and  so  we  shall  have  to  cross  the  Atlantic  with  one  engine.  We 
can  make  ten  knots  even  when  dragging  the  starboard  screw,  and  if  we 
could  uncouple  it  we  could  do  better.  Unfortunately  it  is  not  provided 
with  a  clutch  coupling  that  would  permit  it  to  be  disconnected." 

Upon  being  asked  whether  the  speed  was  not  somewhat  checked  by 
the  necessity  of  counteracting  the  side  movement  of  the  one  engine  by 
the  use  of  the  helm,  he  said: 

"Oh,  I  suppose  so.  I'll  just  ask  that  signal  boy  and  find  out  whether 
he  has  taken  any  notice  of  the  helm  motion  coming  through  the  Mediter 
ranean  since  the  screw  was  injured." 

The  signal  boy  was  on  the  watch  on  the  bridge,  and  the  Admiral  had 
no  means  of  knowing  whether  the  youngster  had  been  at  the  wheel,  but 
his  object  was  to  learn  how  attentive  the  lad  had  been  to  the  steering  of 
the  ship. 

"I  think,  sir,"  he  replied  to  the  Admiral's  question,  "that  we  carried 
a  little  starboard  helm  all  the  way  down  the  Adriatic." 

"About  how  much?"  asked  the  Admiral. 

"Five  or  six  degrees,  I  should  say,  sir." 

"Go  ask  the  chief  quartermaster,"  said  the  Admiral. 

Presently  the  youngster  came  back  and  said  that  the  average  star- 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING.  423 

board  helm  carried  while  running  with  the  port  engine  only  was  five  de 
grees. 

"There!  What  do  you  think  of  that?"  said  the  Admiral,  trium 
phantly.  "That  boy  is  a  fair  specimen  of  our  apprentices.  They  keep 
their  eyes  open  and  learn  all  about  the  ship  and  the  methods  of  handling 
her  without  being  forced  to  do  so." 

There  is  nothing  about  which  the  Admiral  is  more  proud  than  the 
character  and  capacity  of  the  men  under  him.  They  all  know  it,  and, 
consequently,  he  can  always  depend  upon  them  for  almost  any  demand 
he  can  make  upon  them.  When  they  go  ashore  on  liberty  they  take  the 
greatest  pains  to  keep  out  of  sight  any  man  who  "falls  by  the  wayside" 
in  the  matter  of  drink.  It  is  said  that  when  the  first  liberty  party  was 
sent  ashore  in  Hong  Kong,  one  of  the  men  who  had  not  been  able  to 
resist  the  temptation  of  "looking  upon  the  wine  when  it  was  red"  too 
often  wTas  heard  muttering  to  himself,  as  he  steered  an  uncertain  course 
toward  the  harbor  front:  "Honor — ship — honor  ship.  Must  honor 
ship."  The  man  had  in  mind  what  Capt.  Lamberton  had  said  to  the  men 
— that  he  expected  them  to  act  wTith  such  propriety  as  to  do  honor  to  the 
ship.  And,  as  the  poor  chap  realized  that  he  was  hardly  in  a  condition 
to  do  the  ship  honor,  he  decided  to  get  sober  in  the  shortest  possible  time 
by  dropping  overboard  and  paddling  about  in  the  water  till  he  had 
soaked  out  some  of  the  superfluous  liquor. 

The  same  George  Dewey  that  caught  the  Spaniards  napping  on  that 
fateful  day  in  Manila  bay  surprised  New  York  on  the  morning  of  Sep 
tember  27th.  Two  days  before  he  was  expected  the  only  admiral  of  the 
navy  called  on  Gotham  before  breakfast,  and  that  city,  which  had  been 
straining  every  nerve  to  be  ready  for  the  naval  fighter,  was  caught  all 
unawares.  The  Olympia  slipped  into  the  lower  bay  past  Sandy  Hook 
much  as  she  sped  noiselessly  past  Corregidor  island,  but  instead  of 
hostile  guns  and  lurking  torpedoes  she  and  her  gallant  admiral  faced 
only  a  pent-up  welcome  and  a  fitting  reception. 

Though  the  admiral  caught  New  York  asleep,  he  could  not  steal  by 
the  forts  as  he  did  at  Manila.  As  the  Olympia  bore  down  on  the 
Hook  the  tremendous  coast-defense  guns  of  Fort  Hancock  boomed  forth 
an  admiral's  salute  of  seventeen  guns.  When  the  cruiser  anchored  she 
replied  with  the  eight-inch  guns  which  helped  to  make  history  May  1, 
1898.  Every  man,  woman  and  child  in  New  York  knew  what  the  boom 
ing  cannon  meant  and  over  the  city  sped  the  glad  cry,  "Dewey  has  come." 


424  ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING. 

No  sooner  had  the  booming  cannon  announced  the  arrival  of  the 
Olynipia  than  the  great  wave  of  popular  enthusiasm  which  had  been 
gathering  force  for  more  than  a  year  began  to  spend  itself.  The  harbor 
of  New  York  was  alive  with  craft  of  every  kind.  Battleships  and 
cruisers,  merchantmen  and  launches,  yachts  and  rowboats,  all  hastened 
to  greet  the  hero  of  Manila,  Nor  did  the  demonstration  lack  in  noise 
or  numbers.  The  first  greeting  was  the  spontaneous  outburst  of  a 
grateful  people  and  was  marked  by  a  warmth  and  sincerity  that  touched 
the  admiral  no  less  than  the  more  formal  greeting  which  the  great  city 
had  prepared. 

It  was  not  until  September  28th  that  Admiral  Dewey  fully  realized 
the  splendor  of  his  welcome.  Then  he  capitulated  and  the  celebration 
of  his  capture  broke  loose. 

The  city  was  in  gala  dress.  Streets  and  avenues  were  one  long  vista 
of  red,  white  and  blue.  Bunting  and  flags  were  everywhere.  They 
covered  everything  but  Dewey's  picture.  Poor  was  the  window  indeed 
that  had  not  one  or  more  pictures  of  the  great  sea  hero.  There  were 
hardly  two  alike,  but  they  were  all  "Dewey,"  and  that  was  sufficient. 
The  great  white  arch  stood  like  one  great  piece  of  marble  spanning  5th 
avenue  where  it  intersects  Broadway.  The  decorations  of  the  city  along 
5th  avenue  were  brilliant  beyond  description.  Never  before  had  there 
been  so  lavish  a  decoration.  Decorative  genius  had  achieved  a  triumph 
as  notable  in  its  line  as  the  event  it  celebrated.  As  night  came  on  the 
multitudes  of  the  day  seemed  multiplied.  Thousands  of  electric  lights 
added  splendor  to  the  scene.  Down  the  bay,  the  Long  Island  and  New 
Jersey  coasts,  the  waterfront  of  Greater  New  York,  along  Governor's, 
Bedloe's  and  Ellis  islands  there  were  miles  of  red  fiie.  Searchlights 
swept  the  city  from  the  towers  of  Brooklyn  bridge,  picked  up  the 
Olympia  far  down  the  bay,  off  Tompkinsville,  and  throughout  the  city 
there  was  a  lavish  glare  of  electric  lights;  Sky-scrapers  were  lighted 
from  top  to  bottom,  domes  and  towers  were  aflame  in  red,  white  and 
blue  lights,  and  5th  avenue,  Broadway  and  other  thoroughfares  were 
ablaze  with  light.  Calcium  lights  brought  out  the  new  completed  arch 
of  triumph,  and  red  fire  enveloped  the  bronzed  skirts  of  Liberty  Enlight 
ening  the  World. 

And  every  light  was  for  Dewey.  He  had  returned,  and  the  surging 
thousands  only  awaited  the  coming  of  the  morrow  that  they  might 
render  him  the  homage  due. 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING.  425 

Mayor  Van  Wyck's  Greeting. 

With  the  morning  of  the  29th  the  celebration  began.  At  11  A.  M. 
Mayor  Van  Wyck,  accompanied  by  the  reception  committee,  went  on 
board  the  Olyrnpia  to  formally  welcome  the  admiral  in  the  following 
words: 

"Admiral  Dewey:  With  pleasure,  and  by  the  direction  of  the  city  of 
New  York,  I  meet  you  at  her  magnificent  gateway  to  extend  to  you  in 
her  name  and  of  her  million  visitors,  leading  citizens  of  forty-five  states, 
representing  almost  every  hamlet  in  the  nation,  a  most  cordial  welcome, 
congratulating  you  on  being  restored  to  family  and  home.  A  loving 
and  most  grateful  nation  is  gladdened  by  your  safe  return  from  the 
most  remarkable  voyage  of  history;  so  far-reaching  in  its  results  that 
the  clearest  mind  cannot  yet  penetrate  the  distance.  It  has  already 
softened  the  voices  of  other  nations  in  speaking  of  ours,  changed  per 
manently  the  map  of  the  world,  enlarged  the  field  of  American  pride 
and  completed  the  circle  of  the  empire  in  its  western  course. 

"Your  courage,  skill  and  wisdom,  exhibited  in  a.  single  naval  en 
gagement  of  a  few  hours,  brought  victory  to  your  country's  arms,  and 
then  you  dealt  with  your  country's  new  relations  to  the  world  with  the 
judgment  of  a  trained  diplomat.  By  common  consent  you  have  been 
declared  warrior  and  statesman — one  who  wears  the  military  uniform 
until  the  enemy  surrenders  and  then  dons  the  habit  of  the  diplomat. 

"The  greatest  reception  awaits  you  that  was  ever  tendered  to  mili 
tary  or  civil  hero.  Such  an  outpouring  of  the  people  was  never  dreamed 
of  before.  Never  has  the  heart  of  America  turned  with  such  perfect 
accord  and  trusting  confidence  to  one  of  her  sons  as  it  does  to  you. 
I  place  at  your  disposal  the  freedom  and  unlimited  hospitalities  of  the 
city  of  New  York." 

Admiral  Dewey  listened  with  downcast  eyes,  bowing  now  and  then. 
When  the  maj^or  was  done  he  raised  his  head  and  said  simply: 

"Mr.  Mayor  and  Gentlemen:  Of  course  it  would  be  needless  for  me 
to  attempt  to  make  a  speech,  but  my  heart  appreciates  all  that  you  have 
said.  How  it  is  that  you  have  overrated  me  so  much  I  cannot  under 
stand.  It  is  beyond  anything  I  can  conceive  of  why  there  should  be 
such  an  uprising  of  the  country.  I  simply  did  what  any  naval  captain 
in  the  service  would  have  done,  I  believe." 

His  reply  was  like  the  man,  brief  and  honest.     His  geniality,  his 


426  ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING. 

unostentatious  bearing  and  iris  hearty  manner  won  for  him  fresh  praise 
and  greater  admiration. 

The  Naval  Parade. 

In  the  afternoon  followed  the  most  imposing  naval  spectacle  New 
York  or  America  has  known — the  greatest  demonstration  ever  given  in 
honor  of  an  American  warrior. 

With  hills,  buildings,  streets  and  parks  black  with  cheering  ad 
mirers,  with  every  sea-going  craft  in  the  harbor  weighted  down  under 
the  maximum  burden  of  humanity,  Admiral  Dewey,  standing  on  the 
quarterdeck,  the  Olympia  led  the  water  pageant  that  for  the  first  time 
compelled  the  admiral  to  realize  his  popularity.  From  the  Narrows  to 
Grant's  tomb,  far  up  the  far-famed  Hudson,  followed  the  great  warships 
of  the  North  Atlantic  squadron,  the  flagship  Chicago,  the  vicious,  black, 
rakish  torpedo  boats;  the  converted  yachts,  the  revenue  cutters,  the 
transports  and  hospital  ships,  every  type  of  merchant  vessel,  pleasure 
yacht  and  ocean-going  flyers. 

Mile  after  mile,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  came  an  almost  count 
less  number — a  steady  stream  of  vessels  drawn  as  by  a  magnet  to  the 
Olympia.  Above  the  decks,  dense  with  men  and  women,  hung  an  ever- 
changing,  never-ceasing  cloud  of  color,  fluttering,  ragged,  undulating. 
It  was  the  flags.  They  floated  everywhere. 

From  the  blue  four-starred  emblem  which  fluttered  froni  the  mast 
head  of  the  Olympia  to  the  signal  flags  that  dressed  the  humble  craft 
at  the  end  of  that  great  flotilla  there  were  thousands  upon  thousands 
in  all  editions  of  old  glory.  Whipped  out  straight  by  the  stiff  Septem 
ber  breeze  or  flaunting  in  the  calm,  the  national  colors  were  omni 
present.  From  every  flagstaff  on  land  or  wave  the  colors  floated.  The 
riot  of  color  was  indescribable. 

The  day  was  almost  ideal.  Bright  skies  for  the  most  part  dyed  the 
waters  of  the  bay  and  river  blue,  and  the  sharp  September  sun  caught 
all  the  brass  and  gold,  the  white  and  the  steel  on  warship  and  yacht 
and  dazzled  the  beholders. 

It  was  this  kaleidoscopic  picture,  with  a  background  of  faces  that 
stretched  away  like  billows  up  the  New  Jersey  hills  and  the  Manhattan 
slopes,  that  Admiral  Dewey  saw:  It  was  this  picture,  with  Admiral 
Dewey  the  central  figure,  that  the  crowds  saw.  The  admiral  was  as 
tounded  at  the  colossal  dimensions  of  his  welcome  and  the  crowd 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING.  427 

gloried  in  its  vigorous  surprise.  With  ponderous  grace  the  Olympia 
led  the  way  to  Grant's  tomb,  where  the  great  admiral  bared  his  head 
to  the  memory  of  the  great  general,  turned  the  stake  boat  and  thun 
dered  forth  a  salute  of  twenty-one  guns.  Then  the  flagship  dropped 
anchor  and  the  hundreds  of  following  craft  passed  in  review. 

Before  this  there  had  been  noise.  But  bedlam  would  have  been  a 
quiet  place  when  the  boats  got  opposite  the  admiral.  Sirens,  whistles, 
bells,  bands,  brass  cannon  and  united  cheers  from  sturd}'  lungs  built  up 
a  din  that  could  not  be  outdone. 

Darkness  came,  and  "with  it  illuminations,  fireworks  and  a  marine 
spectacle  in  light  scarcely  less  beautiful  than  the  day  parade. 

But  brilliant  as  was  the  naval  parade,  the  land  pageant  of  Sep 
tember  30th  even  overtopped  the  colossal  welcome  given  the  admiral 
when  he  sailed  up  the  harbor  and  anchored  off  Riverside. 

An  admiral  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen,  two  or  three  mil 
lions  of  cheering  citizens,  a  city  decked  in  color  from  end  to  end,  a  long 
parade  of  fighting  men — brave  characters  in  the  army,  the  navy  and 
the  volunteers — to  do  the  hero  honor,  a  historic  review  at  the  splendid 
arch  erected  in  honor  of  the  guest  of  the  city  and  the  .idol  of  the  day— 
these  were  the  distinguishing  features  of  the  second  and  closing  chapter 
of  this  the  greatest  popular  demonstration  of  the  century  to  a  living 
American. 

It  was  a  grand  and  inspiring  climax.  On  this  occasion  the  great 
admiral  got  near  to  the  people.  They  were  for  the  first  time  enabled 
to  come  close  to  the  central  figures  in  these  ceremonies.  They  had  ob 
served  the  Olympia  from  the  shore  when  it  led  the  maritime  parade, 
but  they  had  not  actually  seen  the  admiral.  Now  they  were  permitted 
to  observe  him  as  he  is,  to  look  him  in  the  eye,  to  almost  touch  his 
hand.  They  cheered  him,  and  he  heard  them  and  he  gave  them  his 
gracious  response. 

By  the  counting  machine  used  that  cannot  make  a  mistake,  there 
were  30,902  men  in  line,  and  Major  General  Roe,  who  marshalled  the 
parade,  now  divides  honors  with  General  Horace  Porter  as  a  successful 
manager  of  great  land  pageants. 

Array  of  Sea  Fighters. 

Behind  Dewey  in  carriages  came  his  fighting  captains  of  May  1,  1898, 
and  then  his  staff.  After  them  came  Admiral  Sampson  and  his  staff, 


428  ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING. 

the  captains  of  the  North  Atlantic  squadron.  Then  Rear  Admiral  Haw- 
ison  and  his  staff,  followed  by  Rear  Admiral  Philip  and  his  staff,  and 
then  a  general  collection  of  guests,  among  whom  were  Major  General 
Miles  and  Rear  Admiral  Schley. 

Modesty  of  Greatness. 

At  the  cup  presentation,  at  which  Mayor  Van  Wyck  made  a  dignified 
and  impressive  speech,  the  admiral's  modesty  again  came  prominently 
to  notice.  He  accepted  the  cup  in  a  voice  that  shook  with  emotion,  and 
turning  to  his  Manila  captains — Wildes,  Coghlan,  Dyer,  Lamberton, 
Walker  and  Wood — who  were  grouped  about  him,  said  with  a  wave 
of  his  hand: 

"These  are  the  men  that  did  it.  Without  them  I  could  not  have  done 
what  I  did." 

The  Meaning  of  Dewey's  Welcome. 

Such  a  demonstration  as  awaited  Admiral  George  Dewey  cannot 
be  ascribed  merely  to  the  natural  popular  impulse  to  cheer  the  hero 
returning  from  a  victorious  war.  It  is  emphatically  a  tribute  to  Dewey 
the  man,  not  simply  because  he  won  the  victory  at  Cavite,  nor  because 
he  displayed  rare  common  sense  and  ability  in  the  subsequent  negotia 
tions,  nor  because  he  discharged  all  his  difficult  tasks  in  so  direct  and 
businesslike  a  fashion,  but  because  by  reason  of  his  achievements  he 
embodies  in  every  way  the  best  traditions  of  sea  generalship.  The 
reception  in  New  York  was  of  the  kind  that  goes  with  a  permanent 
fame.  Dewey  takes  his  place  in  history  not  merely  as  a  national  hero 
but  as  one  of  the  great  figures  in  the  naval  records  of  the  world. 
Nearly  a  year  and  a  half  had  elapsed  since  the  battle  in  Manila  bay. 
The  enthusiasm  of  victory  had  subsided  and  there  had  been  time  for  a 
healthy  reaction  from  excesses  of  hero  worship.  Yet  Dewey's  fame  was, 
at  that  time,  not  only  surer  but  of  a  more  brilliant  luster  than  it  had 
during  the  excitements  of  wartime. 

The  question  as  to  just  where  Dewrey  will  stand  in  history  among  the 
world's  other  sea  generals  need  not  trouble  his  admirers  particularly. 
Nelson's  wonderful  victories  have  yet  to  be  surpassed  and  the  engage 
ment  at  Trafalgar  remains  perhaps  the  most  signal  of  all  manifestations 
of  naval  genius  in  the  exercise  of  sea  powrer.  Nelson  assailing  the  com 
bined  fleets  of  Spain  and  France  at  Trafalgar  and  winning  a  complete 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING.  429 

victory;  Tegetthoff  defeating  the  superior  fleet  of  the  Italians  at  Lissa; 
Farragut  forcing  his  way  past  New  Orleans — all  these  are  manifesta 
tions  of  the  same  kind  of  naval  genius  which  was  displayed  in  Manila 
bay.  But  if  the  battle  of  Cavite  in  the  long  run  seems  likely  to  have 
as  far-reaching  an  effect  as  did  any  of  those  earlier  encounters,  so  does 
Dewey's  method  of  accomplishing  his  achievement  mark  him  as  a  sea 
commander  of  the  best  legendary  model.  When,  after  he  had  prepared 
and  equipped  himself  for  the  task,  he  cast  all  timidity  aside  and  sailed 
straight  for  the  mined  harbor  of  his  enemy  he  showed  the  instinct  of 
the  great  man  who  compels  victory. 

It  is  largely  because  of  this  readiness  and  seaman's  daring,  this 
quickness  of  stroke  in  seizing  the  first  chance  to  do  the  thing  planned, 
that  the  world  will  continue  to  recognize  Dewey  as  one  of  the  eminent 
naval  leaders.  Properly,  he  hands  down  the  tradition  as  it  was  passed 
on  by  Nelson.  As  the  people  have  come  to  know  him  better  in  the  last 
few  mouths  it  has  been  with  an  increasing  confidence  in  his  abilities. 
Perhaps  the  best  and  surest  indication  of  his  character  as  a  man  and  of 
his  personal  strength  as  a  leader  is  the  general  feeling  of  the  people 
who  know  him  best  that  had  the  difficulties  before  him  been  twice  as 
great  and  the  dangers  twice  as  threatening  Dewey  yet  would  have  faced 
them  boldly  and  won  by  the  superiority  of  genius. 

The  New  York  reception  to  Dewey  has  passed  into  history,  where 
no  doubt  it  will  stand  unique  among  all  similar  demonstrations  yet 
recorded.  Considered  merely  as  a  spectacle,  the  demonstration  was 
extraordinary.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  Dewey  felt  somewhat 
overwhelmed  by  the  tumultuous  welcome  tendered  him  by  the  millions 
who  lined  the  shores  of  the  Hudson  during  the  naval  display  and 
cheered  his  progress  in  the  land  parade.  It  has  not  been  given  to  many 
men  in  history  to  look  upon  such  a  spectacle  and  know  that  it  was 
prepared  in  their  own  honor. 

Most  of  this  demonstration  was  prompted,  first  of  all,  by  loyal 
admiration  for  the  things  that  Dewey  represents.  He  is  not  merely 
the  victor  of  Cavite;  he  typifies  the  best  that  is  in  American  manhood 
when  it  sets  aside  the  peaceable  obligations  of  citizenship  and  takes  to 
fighting.  Part  of  the  warmth  of  the  demonstration,  again,  was  due  to 
an  unconscious  recognition  of  the  admiral's  modesty.  Had  he  displayed 
previously  any  appetite  for  honors  the  millions  in  New  York  would 
never  have  been  so  deliriously  willing  to  let  their  enthusiasm  run  to 
the  limit  in  forcing  honors  upon  him.  The  demonstration,  if  it  seemed 


430  ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING. 

to  reach  the  point  of  excess,  was  founded  in  a  perfectly  sober  apprecia 
tion  of  its  meaning.  Good-humored  affection  and  not  hysteria  is  at  the 
bottom  of  the  excesses  which  have  puzzled  the  serious  Europeans. 

,  On  to  Washington. 

After  the  welcome  and  greeting  to  the  famous  admiral  in  New  York 
he  departed  for  Washington,  there  to  receive  at  the  hands  of  the 
President  the  Sword  of  Honor  voted  him  by  congress  and  to  receive  the 
official  thanks  of  the  country  for  his  splendid  work. 

His  trip  from  the  nation's  metropolis  to  the  nation's  capital  was 
one  continuous  ovation.  The  Dewey  train  passed  through  one  dense 
wall  of  humanity.  The  admiral's  flag  waved  from  the  top  of  the  engine, 
and  the  cars  were  wrapped  in  bunting. 

The  admiral  was  met  at  the  District  line  by  the  reception  committee 
and  was  formally  presented  with  the  freedom  of  the  capital.  The 
ceremony  was  performed  by  District  Commissioner  John  B.  Wight,  in 
the  presence  of  the  admiral's  fleet  captains,  the  military  and  naval  mem 
bers  of  the  party,  and  as  many  of  the  reception  committee  as  could  be 
crowded  into  the  car.  The  first  formal  address  was  made  by  John  Addi- 
son  Porter,  secretary  to  the  President,  who  said: 

"The  President  sends  you  his  greetings  and  will  be  delighted  to  see 
you  in  Washington." 

"And  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  see  the  President,"  was  the  admirai  s 
reply. 

Then  Mr.  Wight,  holding  in  his  hands  a  parchment,  advanced,  and 
said: 

"Admiral  Dewey,  you  are  now  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  repre 
senting  the  Commissioners  of  the  District,  I  have  the  honor  of  tendering 
you  the  freedom  of  the  Nation's  Capital,  and  in  behalf  of  the  people  of 
the  District,  from  the  most  exalted  to  the  humblest  citizen,  I  give  you 
a  sincere  and  cordial  welcome  home.  We  feel  gratified  that  AVash ing- 
ton  is  to  be  your  future  home.  It  is  the  best  place  in  the  world  in  which 
to  have  a  home." 

"Indeed  it  is,"  interrupted  Admiral  Dewey,  amid  laughter.  "If  you 
don't  think  so,  try  it  for  awhile  in  Manila.'' 

"And  it  is  fitting  that  you,"  continued  Mr.  Wight,  "who  have  done 
so  much  for  the  nation  and  are  now  such  an  important  part  of  the 
nation,  should  make  your  home  at  the  Nation's  Capital.  The  people  of 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING.  431 

Washington  will  esteem  it  not  only  a  pleasure,  but  an  honor  to  do  all  in 
their  power  to  make  your  stay  with  us  as  pleasant  as  your  services  were 
successful  at  Manila." 

As  Commissioner  Wight  concluded  his  speech,  he  placed  in  the 
Admiral's  hands  the  parchment.  It  was  tied  with  red,  white  and  blue 
ribbons,  and  was  artistically  engrossed.  It  said : 

The  freedom 
of  the  National  Capital 

is  hereby  tendered  to 
ADMIRAL  GEORGE  DEWEV,  U.  S.  N., 

as  the 
Guest  of  the  people 

of  the 

District  of  Columbia 

on  the  occasion  of  the  ceremonies  in  honor  of  the  achievements  of  the 
forces  under  his  command  in  the  harbor  of 

MANILA, 

and  as  a  mark  of  respect  for  his  official  and  personal  conduct  under  all 
the  trying  circumstances  of  that  memorable  period. 

JOHN  B.  WIGHT, 
JOHN  W.  ROSS, 
LANSING  H.  BEACH, 

Commissioners. 

The  reception  of  the  train  as  it  reached  the  city  was  of  the  same 
enthusiastic  nature  as  at  New  York.  The  people  had  gathered  en  masse, 
and  an  escort  from  the  navy  and  the  army  escorted  him  through  the 
city,  which  was  brilliantly  decorated  for  the  occasion. 

The  Sword  of  Honor  Presented  to  Admiral  Dewey. 

In  many  ways  the  ceremony  on  the  steps  of  the  capitol  building  at 
Washington  marked  the  culmination  of  the  honors  bestowed  on  Admiral 
Dewey. 

The  demonstration  at  New  York  was  a  magnificent  showing  of  pop 
ular  feeling.  It  afforded  unmistakable  proof  of  the  real  hold  which 
Admiral  Dewey  has  on  the  affections  of  his  countrymen.  The  presenta 
tion  of  the  sword  voted  by  congress,  however,  had  a  significance  of  its 
own  for  an  officer  in  the  navy,  where  authorized  forms  and  official  dis- 


432  ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING. 

tinctions  count  for  so  much.  The  sword  presented  to  the  admiral  in  the 
impressive  ceremonies  in  Washington  came  to  him  from  the  American 
people  through  their  official  representatives  in  congress.  The  American 
nation,  through  their  authorized  representatives,  made  the  gift. 

The  reception  tendered  to  Dewey  on  his  arrival  at  the  national  capi 
tal  was  most  fitting  and  appropriate  throughout.  After  long  and  faith 
ful  service  on  his  mission  in  foreign  waters,  Dewey  had  returned  to 
make  his  report  to  his  government,  and  it  is  gratifying  to  know  that 
the  official  welcome  accorded  him  was  all  that  he  could  have  desired. 

The  sword  presented  to  the  admiral,  except  its  steel  blade  and  the 
body  metal  of  its  scabbard,  is  entirely  of  22-carat  gold.  On  the  pommel 
is  carved  the  name  of  the  battleship  Olympia  and  the  zodiacal  sign  for 
December,  in  which  month  Dewey  was  born.  The  sword  blade  is  damas 
cened  with  the  inscription:  "The  Gift  of  the  Nation  to  Admiral  George 
Dewey,  U.  S.  N.,  in  Memory  of  the  Victory  at  Manila  Bay,  May  1, 1898." 
The  scabbard  is  of  thin  steel,  damascened  in  gold. 

In  presenting  the  sword  Secretary  Long  said : 

"The  victory  at  Manila  bay  gave  you  rank  with  the  most  distin 
guished  naval  heroes  of  all  times..  Nor  was  your  merit  most  in  the  bril 
liant  victory  which  you  achieved  in  a  battle  fought  with  the  utmost  gal 
lantry  and  skill,  waged  without  error  and  crowned  with  overwhelming 
success.  It  was  still  more  in  the  nerve  with  which  you  sailed  from 
Hongkong  to  Manila  harbor;  in  the  spirit  of  your  conception  of  attack; 
in  JOUY  high  commanding  confidence  as  a  leader  who  had  weighed  every 
risk  and  prepared  for  every  emergency,  and  who  also  had  that  unfalter 
ing  determination  to  win,  and  that  utter  freedom  from  the  thought  or 
possibility  of  swerving  from  his  purpose,  which  are  the  very  assurance 
of  a  victory. 

"No  captain  ever  faced  a  more  crucial  test.  By  your  display  of  large 
powers  of  administration,  by  your  poise  and  prudence,  and  by  your 
great  discretion,  not  only  in  act,  but  also  in  word,  which  is  almost  more 
important,  you  proved  yourself  a  great  representative  citizen  of  the 
United  States,  as  well  as  now  its  great  naval  hero. 

"And  yet  many  of  your  grateful  countrymen  feel  that  in  the  time 
to  come  it  may  be  your  still  greater  honor  that  you  struck  the  first  blow, 
under  the  Providence  of  God,  in  the  enfranchisement  of  those  beautiful 
islands  which  make  the  great  empire  of  the  sea;  in  relieving  them  from 
the  bondage  and  oppression  of  centuries  and  in  putting  them  on  their 
way,  under  the  protecting  shield  of  your  country's  guidance,  to  take 


ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING.  433 

their  place  in  the  civilization,  the  arts,  the  industries,  the  liberties  and 
all  the  good  things  of  the  most  enlightened  and  happy  nations  of  the 
world,  so  that  generations  hence  your  name  shall  be  to  them  a  house 
hold  word,  enshrined  in  their  history  and  in  their  hearts.  Clouds  and 
darkness  may  linger  about  them  now,  but  the  shining  outcome  is  as 
sure  as  the  rising  of  the  sun.  Whatever  the  passing  tribulations  and 
difficulties  of  the  present  moment,  they  will  in  due  time  soon  and 
surely  give  way  to  the  dawn  of  a  glorious  new  day — a  day  not  of  any 
mere  selfish  imperial  dominion  of  one  people  over  another,  but  of  the 
imperial  moral  and  physical  growth  and  expansion  of  all  the  peoples, 
whatever  their  race  or  language  or  color,  who  have  come  under  the 
shelter  of  the  broad  shield  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

"By  authorizing  the  presentation  of  this  sword  to  you  as  the  mark 
of  its  approval,  your  country  has  recognized  therefore  not  only  the  great 
rich  fruits  which,  even  before  returning  from  your  victory,  you  have 
poured  into  her  lap,  but  also  her  own  responsibility  to  discharge  the 
great  trust  which  is  thus  put  upon  her  and  fulfill  the  destiny  of  her  own 
growth  and  of  the  empire  that  is  riow  her  charge.  It  is  a  work  in  the 
speedy  and  beneficent  consummation  of  which  she  is  entitled  to  the 
cordial  help,  sympathy  and  uplift  of  all  her  citizens,  not  the  faint 
hearted  doubts  and  teasing  cavils  of  any  of  them.  It  is  a  work  on  which 
she  has  entered  in  the  interest  of  early  peace  in  those  new  lands,  their 
stable  government,  the  establishment  in  them  of  law  and  order,  the 
security  of  life  and  property  and  the  American  standards  of  prosperity 
and  home." 

Upon  the  conclusion  of  his  speech  the  secretary  handed  the  sword 
to  President  McKinley,  who  spoke  as  follows: 

"Admiral  Dewey:  From  your  entrance  in  the  harbor  of  New  York, 
with  your  gallant  crew  and  valiant  ship,  the  demonstrations  which 
everywhere  have  greeted  you  reveal  the  public  esteem  of  your  heroic 
action,  and  the  fullness  of  love  in  which  you  are  held  by  your  country. 
The  voice  of  the  nation  is  lifted  in  praise  and  gratitude  for  the  distin 
guished  and  memorable  services  you  have  rendered  the  country,  and  all 
the  people  give  you  affectionate  welcome  home,  in  which  I  join  with  all 
my  heart.  Your  victory  exalted  American  valor  and  extended  American 
authority.  There  was  no  flaw  in  your  victory;  there  will  be  no  faltering 
in  maintaining  it.  It  gives  me  extreme  pleasure  and  great  honor  in  be 
half  of  all  the  people  to  hand  you  this  sword,  the  gift  of  the  nation 
voted  by  the  congress  of  the  United  States." 


434  ADMIRAL  DEWEY'S  HOME  COMING. 

The  President  handed  the  admiral  the  sword  with  a  deep  bow  and 
there  was  tumultuous  applause  as  Dewey  received  it.  The  vast  audience 
was  hushed  as  he  turned  to  reply.  Admiral  Dewey  said : 

"I  thank  you,  Mr.  President,  for  this  great  honor  you  have  conferred 
upon  nie.  I  thank  the  congress  for  what  it  has  done.  I  thank  the  secre 
tary  of  the  navy  for  his  gracious  words.  I  thank  my  countrymen  for  this 
beautiful  gift,  which  shall  be  an  heirloom  in  my  family  forever,  as  an 
evidence  that  republics  are  not  ungrateful,  and  I  thank  you,  Mr.  Chair 
man  and  gentlemen  of  the  committee,  for  the  gracious,  cordial  and  kind 
ly  welcome  which  you  have  given  me  to  my  home." 


OF 


DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


O  F 


OUR   HERO. 


DEWEY!    Dewey!    Dewey! 
Is  the  hero  of  the  day. 
And  the  Maine    has    been    remem 
bered 

In  the  good,  old-fashioned  way — 
The  way  of  Hull  and  Perry, 

Decatur  and  the  rest — 
When  old  Europe  felt  the  clutches 

Of  the  Eagle  of  the  West; 
That's    how    Dewey    smashed    the 

Spaniard 

In  Manila's  crooked  bay, 
And  the  Maine    has  been    remem 
bered 
In  the  good,  old-fashioned  way. 

Dewey !    Dewey !    Dewey ! 

A  Vermonter  wins  the  day! 
And  the    Maine    has    been    remem 
bered 

In  the  good,  old-fashioned  way. 
By  one  who  cared  not  whether 

The  wind  was  high  or  low 
As  he  stripped  his  ships  for  battle 

And  sailed  forth  to  find  the  foe. 
And  he  found  the  haughty  Spaniard 

In  Manila's  crooked  l>ay, 
And  the    Maine    has  been    remem 
bered 

In  the  good,  old-fashioned  way. 


Dewey!    Dewey!    Dewey! 

He  has  met  the  Don's  array, 
And  the  Maine    has    been    remem 
bered 

In  the  good,  old-fashioned  way — 
A  way  of  fire  and  carnage, 

But  carnage  let  it  be, 
When  the  forces  of  the  tyrant 

Block  the  pathway  of  the  free! 
So  the  Spanish  ships  are  missing 

From  Manila's  crooked  bay. 
And  the    Maine    has    been    remem 
bered 

In  the  good,  old-fashioned  way. 

Dewey !    Dewey !    Dewey ! 

Crown    with    victor    wreaths    of 

May; 

For  the   Maine    has    been    remem 
bered 

In  the  good,  old-fashioned  way; 
And  flags  that  wave  triumphant 

In  far  off  tropic  seas. 
With  their  code  of  symboled  color 

Fling  this  message  to  the  breeze: 
''We  have  routed  all  the  Spaniards 

From  Manila's  crooked  bay, 
And    the    Maine  has    been    remem 
bered 

In  the  good,  old  fashioned  way." 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


HOL'   DEM    PHILUPPINES. 


ISTAH  DEWEY,  yo's  all  right, 
Hoi'  dem  Philuppines! 

Made  yo'  point  an'  won  yo'  fight, 
Hoi'  dein  Philuppines! 

If  dem  natives  get  too  gay 

Make  dem  walk  the  Spanish  way; 

Show  dem  dat  yo's  come  to  say, 
Hoi'  dem  rhiluppines! 

Doctah  Dewey,  doan'  yo'  care, 

Hoi'  dem  Philuppines! 
Let  dat  German  ge'man  swear, 

Hoi'  dem  Philuppines! 
Reckon  dat  yo'  saw  dem  first, 
Just  yo'  «ay  to  wienerwurst: 
"Come  en  take  dem,  if  yo'  durst!" 
Hoi'  dem  Philuppines! 


Fesser  Dewey,  you  is  wa'am, 
Hoi'  dem  Philuppines! 
Reckon  yo'  can  ride  de  storm, 
Hoi'  dem  Philuppines! 
Tell  him  dat  yo'  will  not  grieve 
If  old  Diederichs  should  leave — 
Keep  dat  razar  up  your  sleeve, 
Hoi'  dem  Philuppines! 

A'm'al  Dewey,  watch  yo'  kyards, 
Hoi'  dem  Philuppines! 

Folks  all  sen'  yo'  best  regyards, 
Hoi'  dem  Philuppines! 

Make  dem  fo'iners  lay  low, 

If  dey  'sist  to  pester  so, 

Make  dem  take  dah  clothes  and  go, 
Hoi'  dem  Philuppines! 

— George  V.  Hobart. 


A 


THE  BATTLE  OF  MANILA  BAY. 

T  break  of  dawn  Manila  Bay  And  from  his  lips  or  from  his  hand 


A  sheet  of  limpid  water  lay, 
Extending  twenty  miles  away. 

Twenty  miles  from  shore  to  shore. 
As  creeping  on  a  squadron  bore 
As  squadron  never  moved  before. 

Majestic  in  its  hidden  might, 
It  passed  Corregidor  at  night, 
Inspired  to  battle  for  the  right. 

And  grandly  on  the  Flagship  led, 
Six  ships — Olympia  e'er  ahead— 
With  battle  flags  at  each  masthead. 

The  Baltimore  and  Raleigh  true, 
The  Petrel,  Boston,  Concord,  too, 
Their  flags  of  glory  proudly  flew. 

As  early  daylight  broke  upon 
The  bay — before  the  rise  of  sun — 
Was  seen  the  flash  of  opening  gun! 

Then  every  second  heard  the  roar 
Of  shell  and  shrapnel  bursting  o'er 
Our  brave,  undaunted  Commodore! 

"Hold  our  fire!"  he  calmly  said. 
As  from  the  bridge  he  bravely  led 
To  death  or  glory  on  ahead! 


But  one  direction,  one  command, 
"Follow  the  flagship  by  the  land." 

Full  twenty  minutes  slowly  crept 
Ere     lightning    from     our    turrets 

leapt, 
And  pent-up  hell  no  longer  slept! 

The  Spanish  fleet,  a  dozen  strong, 
Was  now    in    range,  and    haughty 

wrong 
Was  swept  by  awful  fire  along. 

Explosions  wild  destruction  brought 
'Mid     flames     that    mighty     havoc 

wrought. 
As  either  side  in  fury  fought. 

So  back  and  forth  in  angry  might, 
The  Stars  and  Stripes  waved  on  the 

fight, 
'Mid  bursting  shells  in  deadly  flight! 

The  Spanish  decks  with  dead  were 

strewn, 
Their  guns  on  shore  were  silenced 

soon, 
Their  flags  were  down  ere  flush  of 

noon. 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AKD  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


Their  ships,  their  batteries  on    the 

shore 

Were  gone  to  fight  again  no  more — 
Their  loss,  a  thousand  men  or  more! 

Dawned  on  the  fleet  that  Dewey  led 
A  miracle,  while  Spaniards  bled; 
For  on  our  side  was  not  one  dead! 


The  battle  of  Manila  Bay 
From  mind  shall  never  pass  away — > 
Nor  deeds    of    glory  wrought  that 
day; 

For  'mid  that  battle's  awful  roar 
The  Spanish  pride,  to  rise  no  more, 
Was  humbled  by  our  Commodore. 
— Corwin  P.  Koss. 


DEWEY'S 

THEY  say  that  Dewey's  cornin'; 
that's  the  word  from  lips  to 

lips! 
I'm  talkin'  'bout  the  feller  that  sunk 

all  the  Spanish  ships 
In  the  far  Manila  harbor!  An',  good 

folks,  when  Dewey  comes, 
There'll  be  blowin'  of    the  bugles, 

there'll     be    beatin'     of    the 

drums! 


COMING. 

They  say  that  Dewey's  comin';  he's 

the  feller  that  we  like! 
He  knew  when  all  the  tempest  told 

the  lightnin'  where  to  strike! 
He  knew  the  very  moment  when  the 

thunder  beat  its  drums, 
And  we'll  blow  the  sweetest  bugles 

when  Mister  Dewey  conies! 


THE  HERO  OF  MANILA. 


GOD  of  our  country,  Thee  we  sing: 
We  thank  Thee  for  the  mighty 

day 

Which  saw  the  fall  of  Gavite: 
Our  humble  gratitude  we  bring. 
Thy  lavish  hand  we    praised    and 

knew, 

So  laid  our  trust  in  Heav'n; 
But    this,    Thy    latest    bounty 

giv'n, 

Hath  made  our  trustful  hearts  more 
true. 

Up  with  the  dawn  our  lads  arose 
And    breathed    two    thousand 

pray'rs  to  Thee. 

For  Dewey,  Home,  and  Victory, 
A  man  could  fight  a  hundred  foes. 
Over  the  hidden  hell  beneath 

The  squadron   came  and  filled 

the  bay, 
That  the  devil  might  have  his 

lawful  pay 

And  the  lamb  be  saved  from    the 
jackal's  teeth. 


And  he  who  rode  the  Eastern  main, 
Nor  paused  the  \Vhy  or  How  to 

ask, 
Dewey,   our   son,   knew    duty's 

task 

And  loosed  the  awTful  flaming  rain. 
Then  burst  the  proud  foe's  swollen 

pride; 
His    vanquished    fleet    beneath 

the  wave, 

His  fort  a  silent  gaping  grave — 
Kemorse  was  born :  Resistance  died. 

In  sleeping  Asia's  spreading  sea, 
On  that  great  morn  of    May's 

first  day, 

Boomed  the  loud  note  at  Cavite 
That  hailed  an  infant  Liberty. 
God  of    our   country,   God  "of    the 

world, 
Our  pray'r  that  we  may  work 

thy  plan 
And  do  Thy  will  toward  Asian 

man— 

The  cause  Thy  cause,  our  flag  un 
furled. 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY   AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


WHO  WILL  CARE  FOR  MOTHER  NOW? 

During  one  of  our  late  battles,  among  many  other  noble  fellows  that  fell,  was  a  young 
man  who  had  been  the  only  support  of  an  aged  and  sick  mother  for  years.  Hearing  the 
surgeon  tell  those  who  were  near  him  that  he  could  not  live,  he  placed  his  hand  across 
his  forehead,  and,  with  a  trembling  voice,  said,  while  burning  tears  ran  down  his  fevered 
cheeks:  "Who  will  care  for  mother  now?" 


WHY  am  I  so  weak  and  weary  ? 
See    how    faint    my    heated 
breath, 

All  around  to  me  seems  darkness- 
Tell  me,  comrades,  is  this  death? 
Ah!   how  well  I  know  your  answer, 

To  my  fate  I  meekly  bow, 
If  you'll  only  tell  me  truly, 

Who  will  care  for  mother  now? 

CHORUS. 

Soon  vfifh  angels  I'll  be  marching, 
With  bright  laurels  on  my  brow, 

I  have  for  my  country  fallen, 
Who  will  care  for  mother  now? 

Who  will  comfort  her  in  sorrow? 


Who  will  dry  the  fallen  tear, 
Gently  smooth  the    wrinkled  fore 
head? 

Who  will  whisper  words  of  cheer? 
Even  now  I  think  I  see  her 

Kneeling,  praying  for  me!   how 
Can  I  leave  her  in  her  anguish? 

Who  will  care  for  mother  now? 

Let  this  knapsack  be  my  pillow, 

And  my  mantle  be  the  sky; 
Hasten,  comrades,  to  the  battle, 

I  will  like  a  soldier  die. 
Soon  with  angels  I'll  be  marching, 

With  bright  laurels  on  my  brow^ 
I  have  for  my  country  fallen, 

Who  will  care  for  mother  now? 


WHEN   DEWEY  COMES  BACK. 


'"THEY  say  that  Dewey's  coming 
back 

To  take  a  short  vacation, 
And  when  he  does  there'll  surely  be 

A  lot  of  jubilation. 
For  everybody  in  the  land, 

From  youngest  to  the  oldest, 
Will  rush  to  see  the  hero  who 

Is  reckoned  as  the  boldest. 

They  want  to  see  the  man  who  led 

His  fleet  where  dangers  bristled, 
And  who  was  coolest  when  he  stood 

Where  Spanish  missiles  whistled; 
The  man  who  bravely  sailed  where 
Dons 

Had  big  torpedoes  scattered, 
Who  banged  awray  until  their  ships 

To  pieces  he  had  battered. 

Yes,  he's  the  man  they  want  to  see, 

And  far  they'll  go  to  meet  him; 
They'll  strain  their  eyes  as  he  draws 
near, 


And  joyfully  they'll  greet  him. 
The  women,  too,  will  all  turn  out, 

The  matrons  and  the  misses, 
And  all  the  pretty  girls  will  try 

To  favor  him  with  kisses. 

Upon  him  then  will  be  conferred 

The  freedom  of  the  cities, 
And  every  band  in  every  town 

Will  play  its  choicest  ditties. 
Each  orator  will  hail  him  with 

Most  eloquent  expressions, 
And  all  the  citizens  will  join 

In  forming  big  processions. 

Long  pent  up  joy  will    then  break 
loose, 

And  like  a  flood  go  sweeping, 
And  on  Manila's  hero  then 

All  honors  we'll  be  heaping. 
Yes,  when  brave  Dewey  comes  back 
home 

There'll  be  a  grand  ovation, 
For  he's  the  darling  and  the  pride 

Of  all  this  mighty  nation. 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


THE  BAND  PLAYED  ON. 

(As  the  Californians,  under  Colonel  Smith,  came  up  the  beach,  their  band  played  the 
national  air,  accompanied  by  the  whistling  of  Mauser  bullets,  and  during  the  sharpshoot- 
ing  continued  to  encourage  the  men  with  inspiring  music. — Dispatch  from  Manila.) 


FORWARD!"  the  Colonel  sharply 
said. 

With  eager  eye  and  steady  tread 
They  crossed  the  strip    of   shining 

sand 
In  rhythm  with  their  pulsing  band. 

Up  from  the  bay   the    great    guns 

roared, 
High    o'er    their    heads    the    swift 

shells  soared, 

But  true  and  steady  rose  the  drum 
Above  the  battle's  growing  hum, 
And  wild  anjl  strident  shrilled  the 

horn, 
As  if  it  shrieked  in  loyal  scorn. 

The  bullets  whistled  o'er  the  strand; 
A  crimson  stain  was  on  the  sand. 
"Fire!"  shrieked  the  Colonel,  and  a 
roar 


Went  booming  down  Manila's  shore. 
And  while  its  echoes  died  away, 
The  fearless  band  in  steady  play, 
As  on  parade,  so  calm,  so  free, 
Poured  forth  the  song  of  freedom's 
key. 

It  roused  those    dauntless  Yankee 

hearts; 

They  felt  the  thrill  the  song  imparts, 
In  rhythm  with  the  horn  and  drum, 
Each  lip  the  dear  old  words  did  hum. 
They  fought  like  brave  men,  good 

and  true, 
They  pressed  ahead  where  bullets 

flew, 

And  till  they'd  conquered  every  don 
The  band  played  on. 

— Cleveland  Plain  Dealer. 


THE  JOLLY  OLD  FLAG. 


THAR'S  somethin'  in  the  ripple  of 
the  flag  that  'pears  to  me 
Means  that  Old  Glory's  confident, — 

she's  wavin'  "Victory!" 
The  winds   aroun'   her  sing  it  an' 

wing  it  overhead — 
Thar's  a  kinder    jubilation  in   her 
rumpled  stripes  o'  red! 

Thar's  somethin'  in  the  ripple  of  the 
flag  that  'pears  to  me 

Says:  "You  jest  keep  the  country 
and  Dewey'll  hold  the  sea!" 


The  winds  aroun'  her  sing  it  to 
countryside  an'  town — 

Thar's  a  kind  of  jubilation  in  the 
red  stripes  ripplin'  down! 

Somethin'  in  it,  people!  I  never  seen 

her  so 
Peart-like  an'  tickled,  when  the  wind 

makes  up  its  mind  to  blow! 
I  yell  "Hurrah!"    She  answyers  from 

the  flagstaff  on  the  shed 
With  a  reg'lar    jubilation    in    her 

rumpled  stripes  o'  red! 

— Frank  L.  Stanton. 


THE  SONG  OF  DEWEY'S  GUNS. 


w 


HAT    is    this    thunder    music 
from  the  other  side  of  the  world, 
That  pulses  through  the  severing 
seas  and  round  the  planet  runs? 


'Tis  the  death   song  of    old  Spain 

floating  from  the  Asian  main; 

There's  a  tale  of  crumbling  empire 

in  the  song  of  Dewey's  guns! 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY   AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


The  hand  that  held  the  sceptre  once 

of  all  the  great  world  seas, 
And  paved  the  march  with  dead 
men's  bones  'neath    all    the 
circling  suns, 

Grew  faint  with  deadly  fear  when 
that  thunder  song  grew  near, 
For  the  dirge  of  Spain  was  sound 
ed  by  the  song  of    Dewey's 
guns! 


There  is  music  in  a  cannon,  yet,  for 

all  Sons  of  Peace — 
Yes,  the  porthole's    belching  an 
them  is  soft  music  to  her  sons 
When  the  iron  thunder  song  sings 
the  death  of  ancient  wrong — 
And  a  dying  wrong  was  chanted 
by  the  song  of  Dewey's  guns. 
— Sam  Walter  Foss. 


THE  FLAG. 

Inscribed  to  Admiral  Dewey.     Tune:     "Lauriger," 


ROLL  a  river  wide  and  strong, 
Like  the  tides  a-swinging, 
Lift  the  joyful  floods  of  song, 
Set  the  mountains  ringing. 
Run  the  lovely  banner  high, — 

Crimson  morning-glory! — 
Field  as  blue  as  yonder  sky, 
Every  star  a  story. 

Let  the  people,  heart  and  lip, 

Hail  the  gleaming  splendor! 
Let  the  guns  from  shore  and  ship 

Acclamation  render! 
All  ye  oceans,  clap  your  hands! 

Echo  plains  and  highlands, 
Speed  the  voice  thro'  all  the  lands 

To  the  Orient  islands. 


Darling  flag  of  Liberty! 

Law  and  love  revealing, 
All  the  downcast  turn  to  thee 

For  thy  help  appealing. 
In  the  front  for  human  right, 

Flash  thy  stars  of  morning, 
All  that  hates  and  hides  the  light, 

Flies  before  thy  warning. 

By  the  colors  of  the  day, 

By  the  breasts  that  wear  them, 
To  the  living  God  we  pray 

For  the  brave  that  bear  them! 
Bun  the  rippling  banner  high; 

Peace  or  war  the  weather, 
Cheers  or  tears,  we'll  live  or  die 

Under  it  together. 

— M.  W.  Stryker. 


IN  MANILA  BAY. 


ON  the  broad  Manila  Bay 
The  Spanish  cruisers  lay, 
In  the  shelter  of  their  forts  upon 

the  shore; 

And  they  dared  their  foes  to  sail 
Thro'  the  crashing  iron  hail 

Which  the  guns  from  decks  and 
battlements  would  pour. 

All  the  harbor  ways  were  mined, 
And  along  the  channel  blind 

Slept  the  wild  torpedoes,  dream 
ing  dreams  of  wrath. 


Yea!  the  fiery  hates  of  hell 
Lay  beneath  the  ocean's  swell, 
Like  a  thousand  demons  ambush 
ed  in  the  path. 

Breasting  fierce  Pacific  gales, 
Lo!   a  little  squadron  sails, 

And  the  Stars    and    Stripes  are 

floating  from  its  spars. 
It  is  friendless  and  alone, 
Aids  and  allies  it  has  none, 

But  a  dauntless  chorus  sing    its 
dauntless  tars: 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


"We're    ten    thousand    miles    from 

home; 

Ocean's  wastes  and  wave  and  foam 
Shut  us  from  the  land  we  lore  so 

far  away. 

We  have  ne'er  a  friendly  port 
For  retreat  as  last  resort, 

But  we'll  beard  the  ships  of  Spain 
in  their  own  bay. 


There,  half-way  round  the  world, 
Swift  and  straight  the    shots  were 

hurled, 
And  a  handful  of  bold  sailors  won 

the  day. 

Never  since  earth  was  begun 
Has  a  braver  deed  been  done 

Than  when  Dewey  sailed  into  Ma 
nila  Bay 


"They  have  mines  beneath  the  sea, 
They  have  forts  upon  their  lee, 
They  have  everything  to  aid  them 

in  the  fray; 

But  we'll  brave  their  hidden  mines, 
And  we'll  face  their  blazing  lines; 
Yes!    We'll  beard    the    ships    of 
Spain  in  their  own  bay. 


God  made  for  him  a  path 
Thro'  the  mad  torpedoes'  wrath, 
From  their  slumbers  never  wak 
ened  into  play. 
When  dawn  smote  the    east    with 

gold, 

Spaniards  started  to  behold 
Dewey  and  his  gallant  fleet  within 
their  bay. 


"If  we're  worsted  in  the  fight, 
We  shall  perish  in  the  right- 
No  hand  will  wipe    the  dews  of 

death  away. 

The  wounded  none  wyill  tend, 
For  we've  not  a  single  friend; 
But  we'll  beard  the  ships  of  Spain 
in  their  own  bay. 


Then  from  forts  and  warships  first 
Iron  maledictions  burst, 

And  the   guns    with    tongues  of 

flame  began  to  prey; 
Like  demons  out  of  hell 
The  batteries  roar  and  yell, 
While  Dewyey  answers  back  across 
the  bay. 


"No  ironclads  we  sail, 
Onty  cruisers  light  and  frail, 

With  no  armor  plates  to  turn  the 

shells  away. 

All  the  battleships  now  steer 
In  another  hemisphere, 

But  we'll  beard  the  ships  of  Spam 
in  their  own  bay. 


"Ho!  Remember  now  the  Maine! 
Up!   And  smite  the  ships  of  Spain! 
Let  them  not  forget  for  years  this 

first  of  May! 

Though  hell  blaze  up  from  beneath, 
Forward     through     the      cannon's 

breath, 

When  Dewey  leads    into  Manila 
Bay." 


O  Gods!  it  was  a  sight, 
Till  the  smoke,  as  black  as  night, 
Hid  the  fire-belching  ships  from 

light  of  day. 

When  it  lifted  from  the  tide, 
Smitten  low  was  Spanish  pride, 
And  Dewey    was   the    master   of 
their  bay. 

Where  the  awful  conflict  roared, 
And  red  blood  in  torrents  poured, 
There  the  Stars  and  Stripes    are 

waving  high  to-day. 
Dewey!   Hero  strong  and  grand! 
Shout  his  name  thro'  every  land! 
For  he  sunk  the  ships  of  Spain  in 
their  own  bay. 

—Charles  Wadsworth,  Jr. 


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ADMIRAL  GEORGE  DEWEY 

This  likeness  of  Admiral  Dewey  is  pronounced  by  all  his  associates  as  the 
best  which  has  yet  appeared.  Joseph  L.  Stickney,  his  personal  aide,  at  Manila, 
says  that  it  is  the  only  portrait  he  has  seen  which  really  deserves  the  name.  The 
poise  of  the  head,  the  keen,  searching  eye,  the  position  of  the  body,  are  true  tc 
life,  and  bring  back  the  Admiral  as  he  sat  in  the  cabin  of  the  Olympia  with  hif 
uniform  on.  The  original  sketch  was  made  by  Wm.  Schmedtgen,  of  the 
Chicago  Record  Staff. 


GENERAL " FRED " FUNSTON 

The  rapid  promotion  of  General  Funston  is  known  to  everyone. 
Probably  the  cause  is  this:  Military  regulations  prescribe  that  a  colonel 
shall  stay  behind  his  regiment,  that  he  may  better  direct  its  move 
ments.  Colonel  Funston  went  ahead  and  trusted  his  men  to  follow 
him.  They  did.  One  of  his  most  famous  exploits  was  the  swimming 
of  the  deadly  Malalos  river  with  20  of  his  men  and  capturing  80  fullv 
armed  Filipinos. 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


THE  FARMER'S  BOYS. 


I  OWN  I'm  rather  lonely,  for  my 
help  has  gone  away, 
The  harvest  time  is  over,  and  cut  is 

all  the  hay; 
And  I  long  to  get  the  papers,  but  I 

fear  to  see  them  come, 

For  Tom  and  Jack  are  fighting  to 

the  music  of  the  drum. 

The  boys  are  patriotic,   like    their 

father  long  ago, 
When  he  heard  the  call  of  Lincoln 

and  went  for  to  meet  the  foe; 
And  when  they  came  to  me  and  said 

that    they    were    young    and 

strong, 
I   told   my   wife   I   knew  the  farm 

would  never  hold  them  long. 

There's  Jack;    he  has  his  mother's 

eyes,  his    face  is  round    and 

fair, 
He  has  his  mother's  gentle  ways,  her 

soft  and  silky  hair; 
And  Tom;    they  say  he  looks  like 

me,    raw-boned,    and    tanned 

and  stout, 
The  kind  of  boys,  the  captain  says, 

to  storm  the  strong  redoubt. 

I  saw  the    thing    a-brewing,  but  I 

had  no  word  to  <say, 
The  boys  grew  restless,  for  they  read 

the  papers  every  day; 
And   when  the  call    for    men   wras 

made  they  hurried  down    the 

lane, 
And  in  the  village  joined  the  boys 

who'll      ne'er      "forget      the 

'Maine.' " 

My  wife  and  I  together  sit  wyhen  all 

the  work  is  done, 
And  watch  the  hills  in  silence    as 

they  redden  'neath  the  sun; 
She  knows  that  I  am  thinking  of  the 

boys  we've  sent  afar. 
And  she  is  praying  silently  for  peace 

to  end  the  war. 


They'll  never  shirk  their  duty;  Tom 

and  Jack  are  true  as  steel; 
Before  their  might,  I'm  proud  to  say, 

the  Spanish  foe  will  reel; 
What  tales    will  Jack    bring    back 

with    him    from    regions    far 

away, 
And  Tom  will  tell  of  fighting  down 

by  Santiago  Bay! 

Old  Glory  will  not  blush  for  them, 

they'll  nobly  wear  the  blue; 
They  won't  disgrace    the  Buckeye 

farm;    to    country    both    are 

true. 
I  told  them  when  they  started,  as  I 

held  their  hands  in  mine, 
That  I  was  once  a  soldier  in    the 

grand  old  Union  line. 

When  I  lead  the  horses  homeward 

through  the  bracing  twilight 

air, 
I  see  two  boys  in  uniform,  heroic, 

tall  and  fair, 
And  one  looks  like  his  mother  when 

I  wooed  her  long  ago, 
And  the  other  like  his  father,  with 

his  curious  ways,  you  know. 

It  seems  they're  with    me    all  the 

time,  but  yet  they  are  afar; 
Upon  their  bayonets  doth  fall    the 

light  of  tropic  star. 
They  know  the    old    farm    misses 

them,  no  matter  where  they 

roam, 
And  every  night  I  know  they  think 

of  mother's  face  and  home. 

We  pray  together,  wife  and  I,  we 

kneel  before  the  throne, 
And  ask  the  Father's  care  for  those 

so  dear  to  us  alone; 
May  we  hear  from  lips  we  long  to 

kiss,  though  now  they're  far 

away, 
The  story  of  Manila  and  of  Admiral 

Dewey. 
— T.  C.  Harbaugh,  in  Ohio  Farmer. 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


DEWEY. 


WHY  do  we  put  Dewey 
Above  all  the  rest? 
Of  all  the  war's  heroes 

Why  is  he  the  best? 
We  hear  Dewey's  name, 
And  our  breasts  are  aflame, 

With  love  for    the    grizzled  old 

tar — 

Why  is  Dewey  enshrined 
In  the  heart  and  the  mind, 
As  Lincoln  and  Washington  are — 
Why  do  we  put  Dewey 

Above  all  the  rest? 
Of  all  the  war's  heroes 
Why  is  he  the  best? 

WThen  the  tocsin  was  sounded 

And  the  war  god  awoke, 
WThen  the  bonds  that  had  held  us 

As  men  of  peace  broke, 
When  others  rushed  hither 

And  thither,  at  sea, 
When  other  men  argued 

In  war  councils,  lie, 
With  a  calmness  supernal, 

And  a  course  that  was  plain, 
Weighed  anchor  and  started 

Across  the  blue  main; 
fife  stayed  not  for  parley, 

Nor  waited  nor  planned 
For  conditions  to  favor 

The  project  in  hand — 
As  the  arrow  flies  unto  its  mark  he 

set  out, 

Unhindered  by  fear  and  a  stranger 
to  doubt. 

Is  there  fear  in  the  lion 

That  has  scented  his  prey? 
Does  he  linger  for  dangers 

Concealed  by  the  way? 
Does  he  hunt  for  clear  pathways 

To  lead  him  around 
The  rocks  that  before  him 

Incumber  the  ground? 
Does  he  crouch  in  some  corner 

And  warily  wait, 
Intrusting  his  chances 


To  favors  of  fate? 

Nay,  the  lion  has  none  of  the  cun 
ning  that  brings 

The  fawn  'neath  the  limb  where  the 
sleek  tiger  swings. 

E'en  as  a  lion  the  grim  hero  went 

To  the  spot  where  Spain's  weapons 
lie  blackened  and  bent; 

He  stayed  not  for  danger,  nor  favor 
ing  tide; 

Nor  thought  of  the  snares  perhaps 
hidden  inside — 

He  entered  and  struck  down  the  foe 
in  his  lair, 

And  set  up  the  standard  of  liberty 
there! 

And  when  it  was  done — when  the 
world  stood  in  awe, 

Still  grasping  the  sword,  he  pro 
pounded  the  law; 

He  invited  no  cheers,  nor  indulged 
in  high  boasts, 

But  silently  sat  as  a  new  lord  of 
hosts 

With  a  simpleness  such  as  God 
gives  but  to  those 

Too  big  to  be  swayed  by  the  world's 
petty  woes. 

He  marked  out  his  lines,  and  men 
saw  where  they  lay, 

Nor  sought  to  cross  over,  nor  ques 
tioned  his  sway. 

Each  word  that  he  spoke  was  the 
word  tha't  we  meet; 

Each  act  he  essayed  when  he  stayed 
was  complete — 

The  mazes  that  lay  all  around  him 
he  trod 

As  only  he  may  who  is  led  by  his 
God. 

And  so  we  put  Dewey 

Above  all  the  rest 
Of  all  the  war's  heroes, 

Proclaiming  him  best; 
We  hear  Dewey's  name 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


And  our  breasts  are  aflame 

With  love  for  the  grizzled  old 

tar; 

We  have  got  him  enshrined 
In  each  heart  and  each  mind 
As    Lincoln    and    Washington 
are — 


Straightforward  and   simple  above 

all  the  rest, 
With  a  grandeur  that  touches  the 

lowliest  breast. 

— S.  E.  Riser,  in  Cleveland  Leader. 


AT  THE  FRONT. 


NOT  the   soldiers  only  are  at  the 
front  to-day, 
Not  alone  the  boys  in    blue  who 

face  the  stubborn  foe, 
In  the  tent  and  in  the  charge,  and 

on  the  weary  way, 
There  are  unseen   sentinels   who 
watch  with  eyes  aglow. 

Mothers  who  have  sent  their  sons  to 

battle  for  the  right, 
Wives  and  sweethearts,  all    day 
long,  whose  throbbing  hearts 
are  there, 
A  host  of  loyal  loving  ones  who  help 

the  gallant  fight, 
By  beating  at  the  throne  of  God, 
with  never-ceasing  prayer. 

These  may  not  thread  the    jungle, 
nor  storm  the  frowning  hill, 


They  stand  not  in    the    rifle-pit, 

they  man  no  sullen  gun; 
But  they  are  with  the  army,  and 

with    strength    their    pulses 

thrill, 
And  theirs  will  be    the    victor's 

part,  when  once  the  strife  is 

done. 

Standing  for  the  old  flag,  standing 

firm  for  God, 
Standing  for  humanity,  they  meet 

the  battle's  brunt, 
These  women,  who  for    heartache, 

scarce     can     see     the     path 

they've  trod, 
Since  they  kiss'd  the    lads    they 

love  so  dear,  and  sent  them  to 

the  front. 

—Margaret  E.  Sangster. 


A  TOAST  TO  COMMODORE  DEWEY. 

At  a  dinner  given  to  Commodore  George  Dewey  at  the  Metropolitan  Club,  Wash 
ington,  November  27,  1897,  just  before  he  started  for  the  Asiatic  Station,  the  following 
prophetic  toast  was  offered,  and  received  with  enthusiasm: 


FILL   all    your     glasses    full    to 
night; 

The  wind  is  off  the  shore; 
And  be  it  feast  or  be  it  fight, 
We  pledge  the  Commodore.. 

Through    days    of    storm,    through 
days  of  calm, 

On  broad  Pacific  seas, 
At  anchor  off  the  Isles  of  Palm, 

Or  with  the  Japanese; 

Ashore,  afloat,  on  deck,  below, 
Or  where  our  bull  dogs  roar, 


To  back  a  friend  or  breast  a  foe 
pledge  the  Commodore. 


We  know  our  honor'll  be  unstained, 
Where'er  his  pennant  flies; 

Our     rights     respected    and    main 

tained, 
Whatever  power  defies. 

And  when  he  takes  the  homeward 

tack, 

Beneath  an  admiral's  flag, 
We'll  hail  the  day  that  brings  him 

back, 
And  have  another  jag. 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


THE  ADMIRAL  AND  THE  SPANISH  MULE. 


FKOM  Matanzas  fort  came  a  sad 
report, 

"The  Yankees  a  mule  have  slain !" 
But  in  this  they  erred,  his  death  was 

deferred. 

The  mule,  killed  later,  was  Spain. 
Ten  centuries  long  had  this    mule 

gone  wrong 

For  want  of  a  good,  big  stick. 
At  Manila  John  lambasted  the  Don. 
There  the  mule  kicked    his    last 
kick! 


Three  cheers  for  "our  John!" 

The  man  who  slew  the  Don. 
That  Spanish  mule  we  ne'er  again 
shall  see. 

The  antiquated  roue 

Was  "done  to  death"  by  Dewey; 
Oh!  an  admirable  admiral  is  he! 


Thus  it  came    to    pass    when  this 

Spanish  ass 

Cried  aloud  in  boastful  pride, 
"I  don't  give  a  damn  for  your  Uncle 

Sam!" 
And  that's  where  the    old    mule 

died. 
No  man,  it  is  said,  saw  a  donkey 

dead; 

To  mules  this  does  not  apply. 
Full  of  shot  and  shell  one  mule  went 

to  hell, 
And  the  whole  world  saw  him  die! 

Three  cheers  for  "our  John !" 
The  man  who  slew  the  Don. 
That  Spanish  mule  we  ne'er  again 

shall  see. 

The  antiquated  roue 
Was  "done  to  death"  by  Dewey; 
Oh!  an  admirable  admiral  is  he! 
— Stanislaus  Stange. 


THE  AMERICAN  SONG. 


WHAT  song  shall  America  sing, 
Young  heir  of  the  elder  world, 
Whose  knee  ne'er  bent    to    tyrant 

king, 

Whose  banner  defeat  ne'er  furled? 
A  song  for  the  brave  and  the  free, 

No  echo  of  antique  rhyme, 
But  a  shout  of  hope  for    the  day 

to  be, 
The  light  of  the  coming  time. 

From  the  dark  lowlands  of  the  past, 
Swelling    loud    o'er   the    victim's 

cries, 
The  hero's  shout  sweeps  up  the  blast 

Where  wounded  freedom  dies. 
The  drum's  dull  beat  and  the  trum 
pet's  blare 

From  the  far-off  years  are  heard; 
But  the  paean  of  kings  is  man's  de 
spair, 


And  the  hope  of  the   world   de 
ferred. 

'Tis  the  song  of  the  free  we  sing; 

Of  the  good  time  not  yet  born, 
Where  each  man  of  himself  is  king, 

Of  a  day  whose  gladsome  morn 
Shall  see  the  earth  beneath  our  feet, 

And  a  fair  sky  overhead; 
When  those  now  sad  shall  find  life 
sweet, 

And  none  shall  hunger  for  bread. 

Sing  then  our  American  song! 

'Tis  no  boast  of  triumphs  won 
At  the  price  of  another's  wrong, 

Or  of  foul  deeds  foully  done. 
We  fight  for  the  wide  world's  right 

To  enlarge  life's  scope  and  plan, 
To  flood  the  earth  with  hope  of  light 

To  build  the  kingdom  of  man. 
M.  F.  Savage. 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


THE  ISLANDS  OF  THE  SEA. 


GOD  is  shaping  the  great  future 
of  the  islands  of  the  sea; 
He  has  «own  the  blood  of  martyrs, 

and  the  fruit  is  liberty; 
In  thick  clouds  and  in  darkness,  He 

has  sent  abroad  His  word; 
He  has  given  a  haughty  nation  to 
the  cannon  and  the  sword. 

He  has  seen  a  people  moaning  in  the 

thousand  deaths  they  die; 
He  has  heard  from  child  and  woman 

a  terrible  dark  cry; 
He  has  given  the  wasted  talent  of 

the  steward  faithless  found 
To  the  youngest  of  the  nations  with 

His  abundance  crowned. 

He  called  her  to  do  justice  where 

none  but  she  had  power; 
He  called  her  to  do  mercy  to  her 

neighbor  at  the  door; 
He  called  her  to  do  vengeance  for 

her  own  sons  foully  dead; 
Thrice  did  He  call  unto  her  before 

she  harkened. 

She  has  gathered  the  vast  midland, 

she  has  searched  her  borders 

round! 
There  has  been  a  mighty  hosting  of 

her  children  on  the  ground; 
Her  searchlights  lie  along  the  sea, 

her  guns  are  loud  on  land; 


To  do  her  will  upon  the  earth  her 
armies  round  her  stand. 

The  fleet,  at  her  commandment,  to 

either  ocean  turns; 
Belted  round  the  mighty  world  her 

line  of  battle  burns; 
She  has  loosed  the  hot  volcanoes  of 

the  ships  of  flaming  hell; 
With  fire  and  smoke  and  earthquake 

shock   her    heavy    vengeance 

fell. 

Nor  thou,  O  noble  nation,  who  wast 
so  slow  to  wrath, 

With  grief  too  heavy-laden  follow  in 
duty's  path; 

Not  for  ourselves  our  lives  are;  not 
for  thyself  art  thou; 

The  star  of  Christian  ages  is  shin 
ing  on  thy  brow. 

Rejoice,  O  mighty  mother,  that  God 
hath  chosen  thee 

To  be  the  western  warder  of  the  is 
lands  of  the  sea; 

He  lifteth  up,  He  casteth  down,  He 
is  the  King  of  kings, 

Whose  dread  commands  o'er  awe 
struck  lands  are  borne  on  ea 
gle's  wings. 

—George  E.  Woodberry. 


A  NATIONAL  HYMN. 


OUR  Father  in  heaven,  we  hallow 
Thy  name, 
In  Thee  is  our  trust  placed,  our 

confidence  grounded, 
Defend  Thou  the  right,  to  the  right 
eous  bring  fame, 
But  crush  Thou  all  tyrants;   may 

their  arts  be  confounded. 
Free  the  suffering  slave, 
And  inspire  every  brave 
With  courage  and  strength  that   is 
mighty  to  save. 


Chorus — 

For  so  shall  the  Star-Spangled  Ban 
ner  long  wave 

O'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the 
home  of  the  brave. 


God  bless  our  loved  land,  bless  our 

President,  too, 

Bless  our    army  and    navy,    our 
judges  and  congress, 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


Bless  the  people,  O  Lord,  and  bless 

all  they  do 
To  enlighten  the  nations  and  help 

the  world's  progress. 
Guide  Thou  all  their  ways, 
Grant  them  lengthening  of  days, 
And  to  Thee  we'll  give  thanks,  hon 
or,  glory,  and  praise. 

And  when  we  in  war  shall  be  forced 
to  engage, 


To  free  the  oppressed  or  repel  an 

invader, 
Though  millions  her  foes  and  though 

madness  their  rage, 
We'll  not  fear  for  our  land  if  Thou 

do  but  aid  her. 
So,  Lord,  for  us  fight, 
Pray  defend  Thou  the  right, 
And  bring  to  those  vict'ry  who  trust 
in  Thy  might. 

— Detroit  News-Tribune. 


THE  WAY  IN  THE  NAVY. 


ESTROY  or  capture  the  ene- 
my's     ships" — the    Commo 
dore  hears  the  word, 
Nor  as  welcome  a  sound  to  his  sea 
man   ears  in  many    a    day's 
been  heard; 
So  up  and  away  the  squadron  goes, 

the  steam  is  crowded  on; 
The  ocean  hounds  have  taken  their 
bounds  to  seek  the  wily  Don! 
They  seek  him  there,  in  his  inmost 
lair,  where  he  dreams  he  lies 
secure, 

And  little  they  reck    of    the  burly 

mine  or  the  sly  torpedo's  lure. 

"Find  and  grapple" — the  law  they 

keep,    they    want    no    other 

chart ; 

"Destroy   or   capture" — enough   for 

them — the  A  and  Z  o'  the  art ! 

And  if  you  would  know  who  told 

them  so 
You'll  find  from  the  men,  above  or 

below, 
You'll  find  from  friend  and  you'll 

find  from  foe — 

"It's  a  way    they    have  in  the 
navy !" 

"Clear  for  action,"  the  signal  waves; 

with  a  cheer  the  men  reply — 
Not  a  man  or  a  boy,  from  stem  to 

stern,  was  afraid  to    do  and 

die! 
With    mighty    leaps    the    squadron 

sweeps  thro'  the  living  hell  of 

fire, 


And  ever  the  foe,  as  the  tempests 
blow,  is  nigher  yet  and 
nigher! 

Boom !  roars  the  thirteen-incher  now 
'gainst  the  riven  armor  plate, 

The  Gatling  joins,  in  its  searching 
way,  in  the  seething  hot  de 
bate — 

"They  strike!  they  strike !"— they 
run,  they  run — they  seek  to 
save  who  can — 

The  pride  of    Spain    is    under    the 
main,    and    it's    twenty   min 
utes'  span! 
And  if  you  should  ask  how  the 

trick  was  done, 
How  the  fight  was  ended  and  how 

begun, 
You'll  find,  in  fixing  just  how  they 

wron — 

"It's  a  way    they    have  in  the 
navy !" 

See!  see!  they  raise  the  signal  flag 
to  show  their  dire  distress; 

Oh,  bitter  indeed  must  be  the  need 
when  fighting  men  confess! 

Lower  and  lower  sink  their  ships — • 
sore  stricken  of  limb  and 
breath — 

And  sudden  around  them  leap  the 
flames  in  a  blazing  shroud  of 
death. 

"To  the  rescue,  boys!"  the  Commo 
dore  waves — but  little  need 
for  the  sign, 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


For  the  boats  shoot  out,  like  living 
things,  the  length  o'  the  Yan 
kee  line; 

Round  and  round  the  hulks  they  go, 
and  round  and  round  again, 

With  never  a  care  for  the  booty 
there — for  they're  saving  the 
lives  of  men! 


And  if    you  should  wonder  why 

thus  they  go 

To  succor  and  save  a  fallen  foe, 
You'll  find,  with  the  men  above 

and  below — 

"It's  a  way    they    have  in  the 
navy!" 

— John  Jerome  Rooney. 


WHEN  THE  BOYS  COME  HOME. 


THERE'S  a  happy  time  coming, 
When  the  boys  come  home. 
There's  a  glorious  day  coming, 
When  the  boys  come  home. 
We  will  end  the  dreadful  story 
Of  this  treason  dark  and  gory 
In  a  sunburst  of  glory 

When  the  boys  come  home. 

The  day  will  seem  brighter, 

When  the  boys  come  home, 

For  our  hearts  will  be  lighter, 
When  the  boys  come  home. 

Wives  and  sweethearts    will    press 
them 

In  their  arms  and  caress  them, 

And  pray  God  to  bless  them, 
When  the  boys  come  home. 

The  thinned  ranks  will  be  proudest, 
When  the  boys  come  home, 

And  their  cheer  will  ring  the  loud 
est, 
When  the' boys  come  home. 


The  full  ranks  will  be  shattered, 
And  the  bright  arms  will  be  bat 
tered, 

And  the  battle-standards  tattered, 
When  the  boys  come  home. 

Their  bayonets  may  be  rusty, 
When  the  boys  come  home, 

And  their  uniforms  dusty, 

When  the  boys  come  home. 

But  all  shall  see  the  traces 

Of  battle's  royal  graces 

In  the  brown  and  bearded  faces, 
When  the  boys  come  home. 

Our  love  shall  go  to  meet  them, 
When  the  boys  come  home, 
To  bless  them  and  to  greet  them, 

When  the  boys  come  home. 

And  the  fame  of  their  endeavor 

Time  and  change  shall  not  dissever 

From  the  nation's  heart  forever. 

When  the  boys  come  home. 

— John  Hay. 


WHEN  THE  FLAG  COMES  HOME. 


WHEN  the  flag  comes  home,  when 
the  streets  are  filled 
With  the  sound  of  marching  feet; 
When  the  war  drums  cease  and  the 

sword  is  sheathed, 
And  lips  to  lips  repeat— 
"Tis  the  hero  there  from  the  battle's 

glare, 

Hurrah!  for  the  brave  and  true, 
And  hurrah  for  the  flag,  the  grand 

old  rag 
Of  the  Red  and  White  and  Blue!" 


When  the  cannon's  roar  is  heard  no 

more, 

When  the  soldiers  from  the  fray 
Come  back  from  the  strife  to  babes 

and  wife 

There'll  be  music  down  the  way. 
And  the  ranks  will  hold  the  heroes 

bold 

With  the  flag  above  them  sweet, 
As  they  march  along  to  a  welcome 

song, 
From  the  lips  they  long  to  greet. 


POEMS  OF  DEWEY  AND  THE  PHILIPPINES. 


The  flag  that  floats  while  a  thousand 

throats 

Repeat  its  song  of  praise; 
The  flag  that  led  where  the  bullets 

sped 
Through  the  smoke  of  the  battle 

haze; 
The  flag  that's  the  pride  of  the  brave 

who  died 

And  sank  to  the  soldiers'  rest, 
With  a  sigh  of  love  for    the  stars 

above, 
And  it  folds  upon  its  breast. 

When  the  flag  comes  home,  and   it 

passes  by, 

And  the  files  march  one  by  one, 
The  sun's  bright  ray  will  burn  that 

day 

As  it  never  yet  has  done; 
While  the  people's  cheer   will  echo 

clear, 

And  the  banners  wave  on  high, 
For  the  heroes  true,  dear  land,  for 

you 
That  fought  'neath  the  tropic  sky. 

Wher  the  flag  comes  home,  wTill  all 

be  gay? 

Will  all  whose  loved  wrere  there 
Stand  by  to  shout  when  the  crowds 

turn  out, 

Or  whisper  a  lonely  prayer? 
For  the   hosts   may   come,  but  the 

muffled  drum 

Has  played  the  dirges  drear 
For  heroes  slain  in  the  awful  rain 
They  faced  without  a  fear. 

When  the  flag    comes    home    some 

hearts  will  weep, 
And  little  eyes  wTith  tears 
Will  fill  for  the  thoughts  of  sorrows 

wrought 

For  them  through  the  long,  long 
years, 


And  a  mother's  ear  no  more  will 
hear 

The  step  she  used  to  know; 
And  a  widowr's  heart  will  beat  apart 

In  a  grave  where  the  lilies  grow. 

But  the  flag,  ah!   sweet,  down  lane 

and  street, 
When  it  comes  from  the  fields  of 

war, 

The  people's  cheer  will  echo  clear 
And    they'll    love    it    more    and 

more — 
For  the   victories    won    'neath   the 

tropic  sun, 

For  the  heroes  stepping  gay 
As   the   war   drums   beat   and   the 

thousands  greet 
The  ranks  that  marched  awray. 

But  better  still,  for  the  deeds  that 

thrill 

The  heart  with  tenderness, 
For  the  sad  and  lone  who  yearn  and 

moan 

In  vain  for  the  dear  caress 
Of  a  hand  that  lies  'neath  the  tropic 

skies 

With  a  musket  in  his  grasp. 
And  a  little  face  with  a  smile  of 

grace, 
In  a  locket's  golden  clasp. 

Acd  better  still  for  the  brave  and 
true, 

Who  fell  on  the  battle  field, 
Who  faced  the  fray  in  the  hero-wyay 

And  knew  not  how  to  yield; 
Wlio  sank  to  sleep  where  the  grasses 
creep, 

In  the  soldier's  dreamless  rest — 
With  a  sigh  of  love  for  the  flag  above 

And  its  folds  upon  their  breast. 

— Anon. 


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